A major incident has been declared by emergency services as they continue to tackle a wildfire which has been burning in the Cairngorms National Park for 10 days.
Some residents of the village of Nethy Bridge have been evacuated as a precaution.
But a local resident told the BBC the wildfire should have been declared a major incident sooner and communication from authorities had been "pretty poor".
The Scottish government said a fire break had been established around Nethy Bridge overnight and new fire breaks were being constructed.
First Minister John Swinney, who held a meeting of the Scottish government's resilience committee early on Saturday, said additional police and fire service resources were being deployed to assist with the evacuation.
He said that it was "essential people avoid the affected areas."
Swinney continued: "The wind has changed direction overnight, which means the track of the fire has altered once again and the threat to Nethy Bridge has reduced, for the moment at least.
"Ground and helicopter resources are being focused on the current path of the fire and new fire breaks constructed."
Smoke from the wildfire can now be seen 59 miles away in Aberdeen following a change in wind direction.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said people living in properties north-west of Dorback Lodge at Lain Thatchan had been also been evacuated and advised people living in Tomintoul to keep windows and doors closed due to smoke.
Police Scotland said the major incident had been declared and the decision to evacuate residents taken came after evidence on Friday night suggested the fire was spreading towards Nethy Bridge.
A spokesperson added that residents were being directed to a dedicated respite centre at the Macdonald Aviemore Hotel and access roads into the village had been closed.
