Massive fire breaks out on Arthur's Seat as huge orange flames and thick smoke seen coming from landmark
Firefighters are battling a huge blaze on Arthur’s Seat, with people having been seen running down the hill away from the flames.
Fire crews raced to the blaze on the iconic landmark shortly after 4pm this afternoon as orange flames and plumes of black smoke were seen coming from the top. People have been urged to avoid the area.
Video footage shows a helicopter flying overhead as the flames engulf the hillside.
A witness told the Evening News: “There is lots of smoke and the fire looks to be spreading really quickly. It’s a lovely day so the park was busy and there were people running away from the blaze.”
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.”
One resident, who was driving nearby when he spotted the fire and stopped, said ‘when one part is extinguished, another sets alight’.
He said: “Just as one part starts to slow down, another little pocket of fire emerges. It’s really quite scary to watch.
“I watched from Prestonfield Hotel and you can just see what looks like small parts being extinguished when another seems to set alight. Flames just appear from nowhere.”
The blaze can be seen for miles across the city, with the top of Arthur’s Seat having been hidden by thick black smoke.
Football fans watching Hibs play Kilmarnock at Easter Road watched as smoke billowed from the long-dormant volcano in the distance.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Emergency services are responding to a fire at Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh. Motorists and pedestrians are advised to avoid the area.”
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) confirmed they responded to the alarm at Arthur’s Seat at 4.05pm on Sunday. A spokesperson for SFRS said: “We have three appliances and specialist services in attendance.”
Arthur’s Seat is one of Edinburgh’s most famous landmarks and is consistently named by Tripadvisor as one of the top things to do in the city for tourists.
The blaze broke out during Edinburgh’s busiest time of the year, when hundreds of thousands of tourists flock to the city for the festival season.