Farming Today - 29/07/26: Cairngorms wildfire two weeks in, South Wales hare coursing, wildflower seed farm
Download 29/07/26: Cairngorms wildfire two weeks in, South Wales hare coursing, wildflower seed farm
The fourth heatwave of the year in the UK is still making the daily farming jobs a struggle for many. But this year the dry weather and heat have also created the conditions for significant wildfires across the country. In Scotland a wildfire started 2 weeks ago in the Cairngorms National Park. It's thought to have damaged around 25 square kilometres of natural forest and hillsides, although the exact extent isn't yet known. The surface fire has diminished but it's still burning deep in the peat soil, and nearly a hundred firefighters are still deployed in the area. The Chief Executive of the Cairngorms National Park Authority Grant Moir tells us that the fire took hold in an area known for its important wildlife habitats, much loved by visitors and the local community.
The end of harvest can also be the start of a very worrying time for farmers, when illegal hare coursers drive over stubble fields, set off dogs to chase hares, and often bet on the outcome. South Wales Police have warned of an increase in illegal hare coursing in the Vale of Glamorgan, with local farmers being threatened and intimidated when they try to intervene.
This week is BBC Farmwatch week and today we're heading to a farm in Nottinghamshire which grows wildflowers to harvest their seeds.
Presenter: Anna Hill
Producer: Sarah Swadling
Published on Friday, 31st July 2026.
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