Scottish fire crews have been battling a massive blaze that broke out across Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh during the city's busiest tourist period of the year.
Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) was first advised of the wildfire at the Edinburgh landmark just after 4pm on Sunday, August 10, a popular time for hikers to be on the hill, which sits near the center of the capital city. Crews said the fire had affected "a large area of gorse" and large plumes of smoke were visible from a distance.
Crews battled the fire throughout the night and, in this morning's update, say there have been no casualties reported and urge the public to continue to stay away.
"Two fire appliances currently remain at the scene where crews are continuing to dampen down hotspots."
The city is even busier than usual right now, with millions of visitors arriving from all over the world for the Edinburgh Festival that runs throughout August, while Oasis played two sold-out concerts over the weekend at Murrayfield rugby stadium.
Arthur's Seat has long been popular among hillwalkers, but has seen a massive surge in tourist visits following its appearance in the Netflix hit show One Day, based on the book by David Nicholls. The extinct volcano is part of a group of peaks in the area and rises to 823ft (251m) just one mile from Edinburgh Castle.
The last major wildfire on Arthur's Seat was in Feburary 2019, and this fire comes after a warm, dry summer in Scotland. Less than six weeks ago, three "off the scale" wildfires caught the Scottish Highlands alight.
Read our articles on wildfire safety and hiking in wildfire smoke before setting off to recreate in hot, dry weather.
