peat

In parts of the Highland landscape the fires penetrated deep, burning away peat that would have formed thousands of years ago.

Coconut fibers broken down by millipedes may serve as a sustainable replacement for peat moss, a material commonly used to start seedlings but often sourced from fragile wetland ecosystems.

The farms are on rich peat soil that used to be underwater but is now slowly drying out.

One local landowner, George Winn-Darley, said the peat fire had produced "an enormous cloud of pollution" that could have been prevented if there had not been live ordnance on site.

"As the peat continues to burn down it is finding the Word War Two ordnance and therefore exploding and we have now experienced over 18 ordnance explosions within key areas," the officer added.