Arthur's Seat fire: Firefighters tackle blaze in Edinburgh

Times

4 days ago

Firefighters worked through the night battling to contain a huge wildfire consuming the flanks of Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh.
Visitors were warned to stay away from the landmark after a blaze fanned by strong winds took hold and spread rapidly through gorse and long grass on Sunday afternoon.
Earlier, walkers had been running to safety down the steep sides of the 823ft hill, an extinct volcano in Holyrood Park, as flames erupted to the east of the summit shortly before 4pm and plumes of smoke rose across the city.
Although fire crews were quickly on the scene, by 5.30pm the flames were still spreading towards the road that encircles the hill. Large areas of blackened and charred areas of ground were already appearing.
The fire crews faced a difficult operation to stop the spread on sloping ground on the Crow Hill side of Edinburgh's highest mound. A helicopter flew overhead as the flames engulfed the hillside.
On Sunday night, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said that there were no reported casualties. Crews remained at the scene at 6.30am on Monday.
Nick Brice, from Brighton, said he was walking down Arthur's Seat when he noticed the flames.
He told BBC Scotland: 'We could see this little plume of smoke on the ridge at the far side and it just got bigger and bigger. All of a sudden we could see these flames starting to come up and people noticed it spreading fast.
'The smoke started to really build and then these flames started to cover the ridge and we realised the wind was blowing it right towards us.'
He added: 'We had to get down to the road fast because it was going to come across the whole area.'
Brice, who is performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, said people were still walking up the hill after the blaze broke out and he urged them to turn around.
He said the whole hillside was covered in flames, with smoke coming down over the path he had just walked.
One witness said: 'People are running down the face of the hill to get away from it and smoke is spreading really fast. It's a lovely day so the park was busy.'
Another said: 'I was in the park at the time and it's crazy. It's like scenes from a film or something. There's so much smoke and the flames are really big. Just as one part starts to slow down, another little pocket of fire emerges. It's really quite scary to watch.'
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: 'Firefighters are in attendance at a well-developed gorse fire on Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh and are being assisted by the park ranger service.
'Crews are at work with backpacks and beaters in order to tackle the fire. There is a lot of smoke issuing and can be seen throughout the city. The public is being urged to stay away from the area to allow access for the fire service.'
Police Scotland confirmed it was supporting firefighting efforts.
A spokesman said: 'We are assisting the Fire and Rescue Service within Holyrood Park, Edinburgh. The public is being urged to avoid the area.'
The blaze broke out as the city centre, next to the park, was thronged with visitors attending the city's annual arts festival.
Arthur's Seat, the highest point of Holyrood Park, is a popular attraction often climbed by thousands of visitors every day during the summer because of its spectacular views across the city and the Firth of Forth. The park is managed by Historic Environment Scotland on behalf of Scottish ministers.