Firefighters are currently tackling a significant gorse fire on Arthur's Seat, a renowned landmark in Edinburgh, as smoke billows across the city. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) responded swiftly to the blaze, which was reported at approximately 4:05 PM on Sunday. Four fire appliances and specialist resources have been deployed to the scene, with no casualties reported so far.

Holyrood Park Closed Amid Firefighting Efforts

The fire has rapidly spread across the hill in Holyrood Park, a popular destination for both tourists and locals due to its scenic views of Edinburgh. As a precaution, police have urged the public to avoid the area, and a large section of the park has been closed to pedestrians. The blaze has also affected traffic, with attendees of the Hibernian v Kilmarnock match advised to steer clear of nearby areas such as Willowbrae and Duddingston.

Nick Brice, a performer at the Edinburgh festivals, described the alarming scene as he descended the hill. "We could see this little plume of smoke on the ridge at the far side and it just got bigger and bigger," he told BBC Scotland News. "The smoke started to really build and then these flames started to cover the ridge."

Edinburgh's Fire Amidst a Dry Summer

This incident occurs during one of Edinburgh's busiest weekends, with the city's festivals in full swing and Oasis performing sold-out concerts at Murrayfield. The fire is part of a worrying trend of wildfires in Scotland, exacerbated by an unusually warm and dry summer. Earlier this year, Scotland experienced its driest start since 1964, leading to severe water shortages and prompting multiple wildfire warnings from the SFRS.

In February 2019, a similar fire on Arthur's Seat required firefighters to battle through the night to extinguish flames that engulfed about 800 square meters of gorse. The current blaze underscores the ongoing challenges posed by climate conditions in the region.