Firefighters tackle large gorse blaze on Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh

Firefighters are tackling a big gorse fireplace on Arthur’s Seat within the centre of Edinburgh.

The blaze was seen spreading quickly throughout the hill within the metropolis’s Holyrood Park and police have urged individuals to steer clear of the realm.

The Scottish Fireplace and Rescue Service mentioned 4 home equipment and specialist sources had been despatched to the scene after the alarm was raised, at about 16:05.

A spokesperson mentioned there have been no reported casualties.

Stories counsel individuals had been seen leaving Arthur’s Seat as the hearth unfold and a big part of Holyrood Park has been closed to pedestrians.

The landmark is close to Edinburgh’s historic Previous City and climbing the hill to get pleasure from views of the town is a well-liked exercise for vacationers and locals.

Supporters on the Hibernian v Kilmarnock match had been earlier informed to keep away from the Willowbrae, Duddingston and Holyrood areas when leaving the Easter Street stadium.

Nick Brice, from Brighton, mentioned he was scared when he noticed the flames unfold on his method down the hill.

He informed BBC Scotland Information: “We may see this little plume of smoke on the ridge on the far aspect and it simply received greater and greater.

“Hastily we may see these flames beginning to come up and other people observed it spreading quick.

“The smoke began to actually construct after which these flames began to cowl the ridge and we realised the wind was blowing it proper in the direction of us.

“We needed to get right down to the street quick as a result of it was going to come back throughout the entire space.”

Mr Brice, who’s performing in The Large Chew-Dimension Breakfast Present on the Pleasance Courtyard, mentioned he handed individuals nonetheless going up the hill and urged them to show round.

He added: “Now the entire hillside is roofed in flames and smoke coming down over the trail we walked.”

Smoke has been billowing over the town throughout one in all its busiest weekends of the yr, with the Edinburgh festivals in full swing.

Oasis additionally performed sold-out concerts at Murrayfield on Friday and Saturday to round 140,000 followers over the 2 nights. The band will return to play a 3rd date on Tuesday.

The Scottish Fireplace and Rescue Service has issued a number of wildfire warnings this yr, with the nation seeing a very warm and dry summer time.

All of Scotland experienced water scarcity in May, with Scottish Water warning of the driest begin to the yr since 1964.

The Edinburgh blaze follows a current spate of wildfires in the Highlands, thought of “the largest Scotland has ever seen”.

In February 2019 dozens of firefighters battled by way of the evening to extinguish a large gorse fire on Arthur’s Seat.

The blaze engulfed about 800 sq. metres of gorse on the Salisbury Crags.