Crews are expected to remain at a blaze on Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh for a couple of days, according to a senior officer in the fire service. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service received a report at around 6.30pm on Sunday evening, with four appliances sent to the scene in the Scottish capital. By 6.30am on Monday, six appliances were tackling the blaze.
Response and Ongoing Efforts
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, assistant chief officer John Henderson of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service discussed the response in Edinburgh, as well as the work ongoing to tackle the wildfire in the Cairngorms, which has been burning since last week. He noted that the fire in the Cairngorms region covers about six-and-a-half square kilometres, making it a relatively large fire. In contrast, the fire on Arthur's Seat is about 0.01 kilometres squared.
Protracted Wildfire Incidents
Henderson explained that protracted wildfire incidents are weather-driven and require partnership working. They take a protracted period of time to deal with, and crews tend to be there for extended periods even after the fire is extinguished to ensure hotspots are maintained. Specifically on the Edinburgh blaze, he said: "The feeling from the ground there is that we'll probably be there for a couple of days, continuing to tackle that and dampen out hotspots from those."
Cause and Public Safety
The cause of both fires remains unknown, with crews focused on containing and extinguishing the blazes before an investigation can be carried out. While he accepted "sometimes these things happen," the fire officer urged the public to be sensible when outdoors. He advised against any open flames in areas with wildfire warnings or on Arthur's Seat, including no use of barbecues, open fires, or anything that could start a spark, and to tidy up after themselves.
Official Statements
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: "We were alerted at 6.38pm on Sunday 19 July to reports of a fire in the open at Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh. Operations Control mobilised four fire appliances and crews are still at the scene. There are no reported casualties." Police Scotland confirmed that Queen's Drive remained closed because of the fire. A spokesperson said: "Emergency services remain in attendance, and the public should continue to avoid the area. Residents in the local area should keep windows and doors closed."
