LIVES in remote communities will be put at risk if proposals to effectively mothball half of the fire stations in the Highlands and Islands are approved, it has been claimed.

The warning came from councillors and union leaders after it emerged up to 40 out of the 95 retained fire stations may be under threat.

They warned fires would have to be dealt with by teams from further afield if the stations are shut down, which would also increase the likelihood of members of the public trying to step in and tackle blazes.

The stations are under threat due to the costs needed to keep retained firefighters trained to required levels, even though they are rarely called upon. Fire chiefs fear prosecution if staff are judged not to be prepared.

Initially fire stations would not be permanently closed, which requires political approval, but "taken off the run", which means they would not be called upon. Taking a station off the run is an operational matter, decided by fire chiefs, and it is not reported to fire boards.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman confirmed there was no central record of the number of stations which are "off the run" in Scotland.

Problems with funding training could also result in some permanent closures.

The Highlands and Islands Fire Board meets in Inverness today to consider changes to the service but last night Dr Michael Foxley, leader of Highland Council, said: "If you expect the same level of training for crews serving the most remote areas as those in the cities, it can only mean increasing centralisation.

"That simply transfers the risk back to the communities, whether by them having to wait longer for a properly trained fire crew to arrive from further afield, or by an untrained member of the public intervening. Lives could easily be lost. Surely it is better to have at least some level of training."

John Duffy of the Scottish Fire Brigades Union said: "If you don't provide training to provide fire cover, the risk doesn't go away. Taking a lot of stations off the run would be completely the wrong thing to do. 

"I am sure we can find a way of keeping these stations active. These local people make a fantastic commitment, 120 hours a week. If they are suspended, it is very difficult for them to pick up the pager again."

A source in the Highlands and Islands Fire Board said: "The great problem about taking stations 'off the run' is that there is no public accountability, no political scrutiny. The stations would be closed, but not officially. I have heard this could happen to 40 stations. That must put lives at risk."

Highland and Islands Fire and Rescue Service chiefs said a station assessment is being undertaken, adding: "Until this is completed, the service is unable to predict how many stations may be taken off the run."

The issue of fire crew safety was raised when Warwickshire County Council admitted last month to failing to ensure the safety at work of four firefighters who died in a fire in a vegetable packing warehouse in 2007.

Three fire service managers appeared in court in November charged with gross negligence and manslaughter. They were bailed until a further hearing.

In November, Steven Torrie, head of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Advice Unit, wrote to Highlands Fire Service stating the risk to rarely called out firefighters could be too great.

He said: "There is a fundamental issue for the board where it has employed staff to perform operational firefighting and other duties in areas where operational activity is very low." He added a fire and rescue service could not be sustained in particularly low population densities. "The risk to operational staff ... cannot be justified," he added.

Highlands and Islands Fire Service comprises one "wholetime station" in Inverness, 95 retained stations from Shetland to the Western Isles and across the Highlands, and 19 Community Response Units.