IT is a city once described as a tinderbox for the large number of devastating fires which mar its history.

And after a year in which Glasgow was again hit by destructive blazes, experts claim prevention work is becoming “increasingly important” in the city.

The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) Scotland claims the major fires that hit Victoria’s nightclub and Glasgow School of Art highlight the importance of the work being done to stop fires happening, as well as how vital it is to have the right level of resources and staffing in place.

Chris McGlone, head of the union in Scotland, claimed the incidents were a “stark reminder” of the devastating impact fires can have, saying:"The firefighters who were mobilised will have taken significant risk in fighting those fires and preventing their spread and should be praised for the efforts they made.

“And this points to the need to ensure the country’s Fire and Rescue Service continues to have the appropriate resources and personnel at its disposal when the alarm bell sounds.

“Prevention work is increasingly important and being able to answer the call for help when it does arrive and to protect communities is absolutely vital and what the public has a right to expect.”

The blaze at Victoria’s nightclub began in the morning of March 22, and affected several properties on Sauchiehall Street, including the The Works stationery shop and Specsavers opticians. It also caused damage to the 114-year-old Pavilion Theatre as it became engulfed in smoke, but fire crews managed to stop the blaze from spreading to the iconic venue. At the height of the fire, more than 120 firefighters were battling the flames and the service spent days dampening down the site. Victoria’s had to be demolished following the incident, but the Pavilion re-opened in September following repair work.

The investigation into the fire has now been completed and a report has been sent to the procurator fiscal. The city went on to face further heartache later in the year as a second fire hit the School of Art in June, just as its multi-million-pound restoration was nearing completion following a fire in 2014.

The investigation into the fire remains ongoing, with investigators working through a “high volume of information from various sources”. The “complex process” is expected to take some time.

Jim Hymas, SFRS senior officer for Glasgow, said: “It has undoubtedly been a significant year for the people of Glasgow, and for our firefighters both within the city and across the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

“Some of these incidents clearly had a very great and lasting impact on residents and local businesses, not to mention our crews who responded and, at times, through the most challenging circumstances. Our firefighters have shown incredible professionalism and dedication, while drawing upon their expert training and specialist skills, to protect the people of Scotland during a range of emergencies, from the most rural and remote communities to our major cities.”

Glasgow earned the name “tinderbox city” in the 1960s following two factory tragedies. The first was at whisky bond on Cheapside Street and resulted in the deaths of more than a dozen firemen, making it Britain’s worst peacetime fire our firefighters here in Glasgow and across Scotland.

The second was at an upholstery business in James Watt Street. The warehouse had bars on its windows which prevented workers from escaping, leaving 22 people dead.