Politicians are already raising concerns over the scrapping of Britain's opt-out from the Working Time Directive, which will have a knock-on effect for retained fire-fighters.

The officers, most of whom have full-time jobs but tackle fires and accidents especially in more remote areas, face not being able to be called out for the service as they would clock up too many working hours each week.

Almost all retained firefighters have some form of employment which averages around 40 hours per week.

But, with two hours training time and a minimum of two calls per week, that could exceed the limit of the 48-hour working week which Europe wants to enforce.

Until now Britain has been able to argue an opt-out of the rules.

Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey MP Danny Alexander says if stations using retained firefighters became unviable, 91 per cent of the UK land mass would lose valuable emergency fire cover.

Of the 391 fire stations across Scotland, 321 are staffed by 3,429 retained firefighters.

The only alternative to retained workers would be a massive increase in full-time staff, which would cost more.

Threatened by the new ruling would be staff working at stations around Inverness in areas such as Fort Augustus, Drumnadrochit, Foyers and in Nairn, Ross-shire and Lochaber.

"It seems clear that it would be impossible to achieve anything approaching adequate fire cover in an area like the Highlands without the vital work which retained fire-fighters do," said Mr Alexander.

"The loss of their contribution to keeping our communities safe would be a disaster."

Retained fire crews were on site in Spean Bridge, Lochaber, recently when a huge blaze hit the local woollen mill. Iain Ferguson, The Write Image

Highlands and Islands Fire Board has spoken out against the changes and Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue service area manager David Gill says it will meet this week to discuss the "worrying" changes. The Retained Firefighters Union is also taking up the issue.

Mr Alexander says there is still work to be done on how the UK will implement any changes to the directive, which will take three years to come into operation.

He and his Lib-Dem colleagues plan to meet with ministers in the department for business, enterprise and regulatory reform and in the Scottish Government to ensure retained fire staff will not be affected.

Mr Alexander is also calling for a Commons debate on the move.

But SNP MEP Alyn Smith has reacted angrily to the Lib-Dems' claims.

Mr Smith has labelled their comments as "rank hypocrisy and political opportunism at its worst" because Scotland's only Lib-Dem MEP, Elspeth Attwoll, voted to end the opt-out.

"It was quite apparent, well before the vote, that this would be the consequence," said Mr Smith, who suggested Lib-Dems should have worked harder in trying to persuade colleagues in the European Parliament to vote against the amendment.

"Now the vote has passed, there can be no denying that we are facing difficulties but we also have three years to find a way and I remain confident that the Scottish Government will do so," he added.

Within Highland Council area, the following stations are included in a list which uses retained staff:

Acharacle, Achiltibuie, Applecross, Aultbea, Beauly, Bettyhill, Bonar Bridge, Broadford, Cannich, Dingwall, Dornoch, Drumnadrochit, Dunvegan, Fort Augustus, Fort William, Fortrose, Foyers, Gairloch, Glenelg, Invergordon, Inverness, Kilchoan, Kinlochewe, Kinlochleven, Kyle, Lochaline, Lochcarron, Lochinver, Mallaig, Nairn, Portree, Shawbost, Staffin, Strontian, Tain, Torridon and Ullapool.

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