Latest news with #ArthurSeat
BBC News
9 hours ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Scotland at 'very high' wildfire risk from Wednesday
A wildfire warning covering most of Scotland has been issued for the 10th time this year following a fire on Arthur's Seat in Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said naked flames should not be used outdoors during a period of "very high" risk of wildfire which comes into force for seven days on were called to tackle a large gorse blaze on the Edinburgh landmark on Sunday, which the fire service believe was caused by human follows several months of wildfires in areas across the country which have seriously damaged parts of the landscape. The alert will be active in eastern Scotland between Wednesday and Friday and will extend to the east and west of the country between 16 and 17 Monday and Tuesday next week, the warning covers most of Scotland, including the east, west, central belt and southern uplands. Human behaviour Last month, Scottish Land and Estates said wildfires which burned in Carrbridge and Dava in the Highlands were the largest ever seen in have been reported in Perthshire, Arran, Thurso, Cumbernauld and on the Pentland Hills in Edinburgh among a number of others since temperatures and dry conditions across the country over the next week have increased the risk of fires breaking out. SFRS group commander Niall MacLennan said "the vast majority" of wildfires were started by humans."During periods when the risk of wildfires is high, we want people to avoid using portable barbecues, discarding cigarettes on the ground or lighting campfires in or near areas of vegetation, as these all pose a significant threat," he said."We know the vast majority of wildfires are started by human behaviour, so acting responsibly can lower the chance of a fire starting in the first place."
The Independent
a day ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Blaze at Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh likely started by human activity, fire chief says
A large fire on Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh was likely started by human activity, fire chiefs have said. Emergency services were alerted to the blaze just after 4pm on Sunday, as smoke billowed into the sky from the extinct volcano in Holyrood Park. Fire crews worked throughout the night and into Monday afternoon to control the fire, which spread quickly through gorse and heather on the steep hillside. Although the cause of the blaze is still unknown, it was almost certainly caused by humans, fire chiefs have said. Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Group Commander Niall MacLennan said: 'While we have no indication of the cause of the fire, the majority of fires of this nature are started by human behaviour. 'Responsible human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a fire starting. 'It's vital to follow all safety advice when outdoors and to make sure you are familiar with the Scottish Outdoor Access Code at all times.' A frightened eyewitness said he watched as the flames spread while he made his way down Arthur's Seat. Nick Brice, from Brighton, told BBC Scotland News: "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.' One Edinburgh resident said the fire was 'pretty scary' and one of the worst she had seen. Nim Byron told the Independent: 'It shows how dry it has actually been in Scotland this summer, this is not normal, as Scotland is famously a very wet place.' Dr Rory Hadden, Rushbrook senior lecturer in fire investigation at the University of Edinburgh, said wildfires are becoming more frequent due to land use and climate change. Dr Hadden said: ' Wildfires in and around Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh occur relatively often. Like this one, these typically burn relatively small areas (compared to other wildfires in Scotland) but can have relatively large impacts due to the location and proximity to people – the plume of smoke can exacerbate respiratory conditions as well as the direct danger to those on the hill. 'It has been very dry in Edinburgh this year. This means that vegetation – particularly dead growth from previous years – is very dry. The weather in Edinburgh has been reasonably good recently (sunny and warm) but with quite strong winds. 'This all acts to dry out even more of the dead vegetation, making it easy to ignite – and once ignited, for the fire to spread rapidly. Especially on the steep terrain of Arthur's Seat.' It comes after Scotland had the driest spring on record since 1964, it had a deficit of 60m litres a day during droughts. Earlier in July, parts of the north of the country were hit by wildfires.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Wildfire at Edinburgh Landmark, Arthur's Seat, Brought Under Control
A wildfire at an iconic beauty spot overlooking the Scottish capital of Edinburgh had largely been brought under control on Monday after tourists and walkers had been forced to evacuate while firefighters battled the flames. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said that its teams were alerted to the fire at the hill, Arthur's Seat, an extinct volcano with views over Edinburgh's Old Town, shortly after 4 p.m. on Sunday. The firefighters worked to tackle the flames through the night. On Monday morning, the service issued a statement saying that crews were still working 'to dampen down hot spots' and that visitors were advised to stay away from the area. The service said that there had been no reports of casualties from the fire, which spread through a 'large area of gorse' on the hillside. The cause of the fire is under investigation but Neil MacLennan, a commander in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, told BBC radio that he could 'pretty much be certain' that it was the result of 'some form of human behavior.' 'It's very rare for any natural wildfires to start in this country,' he added. 'How that manifested we don't know at this stage but there will have been some form of human interaction and that's part of the risk for that area — it is a busy area.' Climbing Arthur's Seat, 822 feet above sea level, is a popular activity for tourists, locals and students, and the hike featured in the recent Netflix adaptation of David Nicholls's romantic novel 'One Day.' The fire broke out during one of the busiest weekends of the year in Edinburgh, which is hosting its annual cultural festival. The rock band Oasis is also playing several sold-out concerts in the city. Dr. Rory Hadden, a senior lecture in fire investigation at the University of Edinburgh, said in a statement that fires 'occur relatively often' on and around Arthur's Seat and that they were normally 'relatively small.' He noted that unusually dry weather in Edinburgh had caused vegetation to dry out and become 'easy to ignite.' 'We know that most fires in Scotland are started by the actions of people, malicious or otherwise,' Dr. Hadden said. 'The large number of people visiting and the very dry conditions are therefore a good mix for a wildfire to start and to spread.' The blaze followed months of unusually warm weather and lower than average rainfall in Scotland. There has also been a series of wildfires in the Scottish Highlands, which local authorities said were the largest in the country's history.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Climate
- BBC News
Arthur's Seat fire: Human activity likely cause, says fire service
A large fire on Arthur's Seat in the centre of Edinburgh was almost certainly sparked by human activity, a Scottish Fire and Rescue service group commander has said. Neil MacLennan said that the exact cause of the blaze was not yet known but that a deliberate act could not be ruled out. The fire, which spread rapidly across the hill in Holyrood Park on Sunday afternoon, was brought under control overnight. The area was evacuated as the flames spread and there were no reported casualties. Mr MacLennan said the "challenging" fire spready quickly through gorse and heather on the steep hillside. Asked how the blaze started, he told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland: "We don't have specifics … but what we can pretty much be certain of is it would have been some form of human behaviour or intervention of some sort. "It's very rare for any natural wildfires to start in this country."How that manifested we don't know at this stage but there will have been some form of human interaction and that's part of the risk for that area – it is a busy area. "The risk is there for that type of fire to start." Arthur's Seat rises above Edinburgh from near the Scottish Parliament. Offering views of the city, it is a popular climb for locals and visitors. The hill also caught fire in February 2019, with dozens of firefighters working through the night to extinguish a large gorse blaze. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has issued several wildfire warnings this year, with the country seeing a particularly warm and dry that burned across moorland at Carrbridge and Dava in the Highlands earlier this summer have been called the biggest wildfires Scotland has ever seen. Why are wildfires more common? Professor Rory Hadden, chair of fire science at the University of Edinburgh, agreed that most wildfires in Scotland were caused by human told Good Morning Scotland: "Some of these can kind just be people in the countryside trying their best to enjoy themselves and making some mistakes."Prof Hadden said wildfires in Scotland were becoming larger, more common and more difficult to put out. With climate change was causing more extreme heat in the summer and milder temperatures in winter, the expert said this led to the growth of more vegetation, providing more "fuel" for fires. He added that changes in land use, such as an increase in rewilding as well as rural depopulation, were also contributory factors. The fire service said four appliances and specialist resources were sent to Arthur's Seat after the alarm was raised at about 16:05 on said two appliances remained at the scene on Monday.
Times
2 days ago
- Climate
- Times
Arthur's Seat fire: Firefighters tackle blaze in Edinburgh
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.
