Friday November 6th 2026
Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Ian McMeekin
Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Liam Eunson
Scottish firefighters received more than 1,100 emergency calls and attended more than 767 incidents during one of the busiest nights of the year for the service.
Between 5.30pm and 11.30pm on November 5, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) received 1,172 calls and responded to 335 bonfire-related incidents.
Six attacks on firefighters were also reported as crews responded to incidents across Scotland.
In the weeks leading up to Bonfire Night, the SFRS had urged the public to take care around fireworks and bonfires, warning of the risks posed by unsafe celebrations and antisocial behaviour.
Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Ian McMeekin, SFRS Head of Prevention, thanked communities, partner organisations and emergency responders for their efforts.
He said: “This was one of the busiest nights of the year for our firefighters and Operations Control, and I would like to thank everyone who played a part in helping to keep their communities safe.
“In the weeks leading up to Bonfire Night, we worked closely with local authorities, Police Scotland, schools, youth organisations and community groups across Scotland to raise awareness of the risks associated with fireworks, unsafe bonfires and antisocial behaviour.
“While our crews are always ready to respond when needed, we’d much rather see people stay safe and avoid needing our help in the first place.”
DACO McMeekin said crews also attended routine emergencies, including road traffic collisions, alongside hundreds of Bonfire Night-related incidents.
Operations Control staff handled hundreds of calls while co-ordinating responses to dozens of incidents at a time.
Firefighters faced challenging circumstances in several areas, with attacks reported in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. Crews and fire appliances were targeted with fireworks, rocks and glass bottles.
No injuries or serious damage to appliances were reported. However, firefighters were forced to withdraw from several incidents because of safety concerns or wait for Police Scotland support before responding.
In some areas, police escorted SFRS crews as part of Operation Amberlight.
DACO McMeekin condemned the attacks, saying they had prevented firefighters from carrying out their duties in some cases.
He added: “It is deeply disappointing that colleagues were once again subjected to attacks which in some cases prevented them from carrying out their duties.
“Firefighters are there to protect communities and respond to emergencies, and no member of our staff or our partners should face abuse, intimidation or violence for doing their job.
“We take a zero-tolerance approach to attacks on emergency workers and will continue to work closely with Police Scotland to identify those responsible.”
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