Wildfire with ‘large amount of smoke’ breaks out on outskirts of Edinburgh

In a post on Twitter they confirmed that it was a grass fire at Ravelrig Heights in Edinburgh.

Residents in the area have been advised to stay indoors and close all windows due to the large amount of smoke billowing from the fire.

On Friday SFRS issued a wildfire warning which is to remain in place until Monday, with Edinburgh placed in the ‘very high/extreme’ warning category.

Their advice surrounding wildfires is to be prepared by creating a safety zone extending out for at least 10 metres in all directions and is as free as possible of combustible materials that could support the spread of a wildfire.

They also advise keeping the safety zone clear of debris, be aware of fire and other hazards and give fire control rooms as much detail as possible including the best access point.

Edinburgh was the driest place in the UK in April despite Scotland as a whole being the wettest.

Only 3.2mm of rain fell at Gogarbank and 4mm in the Botanic Gardens - 7 per cent and 10 per cent of the respective monthly average.

According to data from the Met Office Midlothian, Fife and Middlesex, were the driest historical counties this month with just 12 per cent of the rainfall expected in April.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “We were called to an incident at Ravelrig Quarry in Edinburgh at 8:15am on Sunday 26 April.

“Operations control mobilised 6 appliances and crews are still at the scene.

“Residents of Ravelrig Heights have been advised to stay indoors and close their windows due to the large amount of smoke.”

Tarmac, which operates Ravelrig Quarry, confirmed that the fire did not take place on their land but they did give fire crews access through the quarry to tackle the blaze.