Firefighters have brought a large gorse fire under control on Arthur’s Seat, the famous hill at the heart of Edinburgh, after battling the blaze through the night.
The fire broke out on Sunday afternoon in Holyrood Park, quickly spreading across the hillside. Emergency services urged the public to avoid the area as thick smoke and flames moved rapidly, driven by the wind.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service deployed four fire appliances and specialist units to the scene at around 16:05, with two units remaining on site into Monday morning. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.
Eyewitness Nick Brice, visiting from Brighton, described the tense moments as the smoke plume grew and flames advanced toward him:
> “All of a sudden, flames started climbing the ridge. The wind pushed it towards us, and we had to get down quickly.”
The blaze forced the closure of parts of Holyrood Park and disrupted one of Edinburgh’s busiest weekends, with the Edinburgh Festival in full swing and tens of thousands attending concerts at Murrayfield.
Scotland has faced multiple wildfire warnings this year due to a warm, dry summer. May saw the driest start to the year since 1964, with water scarcity affecting the entire country. Authorities warn that climate conditions are increasing the risk of such fires.
This is not the first time Arthur’s Seat has been affected — in 2019, a major gorse fire scorched around 800 square metres on the nearby Salisbury Crags.
With Scotland facing hotter, drier summers, should access to wildfire-prone areas like Arthur’s Seat be restricted during high-risk periods?
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