Yesterday’s fire on Arthur’s Seat was likely started by people.
While an exact cause is unknown, a deliberate act could not be ruled out.
The fire started around 4pm yesterday afternoon, burning through the night.
Neil MacLennan, a Scottish Fire and Rescue service group commander told BBC Radio’s Good Morning Scotland: “We don’t have specifics… but what we can pretty much be certain of is it would have been some sort of human behaviour or intervention of some sort.”
Reports initially indicated it was a wildfire caused by dry and warm conditions. Neil explained: “It’s very rare for any natural wildfires to start in this country.
“How that manifested we don’t know at this stage but there will have been some sort of human interaction and that’s part of the risk for that area – it is a busy area.
“The risk is there for that type of fire to start”.
The dormant volcano is a major tourist attraction, welcoming five million tourists each year. Edinburgh Live reported yesterday that hillwalkers were spotted scrambling down hillsides to evade the growing fire.
Emergency services were called to a fire on Arthur’s Seat on Sunday afternoon, working through the night to tackle the blaze.
Historic Environment Scotland told The Tab Edinburgh at 8:50am that road closures issued yesterday afternoon have since been lifted.
Although people are still advised to avoid the area. No casualties have been reported so far.
A SFRS spokesperson said: “Operations control mobilised four fire appliances and specialist resources to the area where the firefighters [were] working to extinguish a fire affecting a large area of gorse.”
Two fire crews remain on the scene this morning.
Ben, a third year Geography student at Edinburgh University, told The Tab that the fire “sparked up again” last night around 9pm, but this was under control by around 9:40.
He said: “[I] cycled round Holyrood park on my way home from work last night.
“[The] fire sparked up again at half 9 but seemed to be out by 21:40, when I got turned back by police [due to a road closure].” The SFRS have been approached for comment on this.
Historic Environment Scotland, which oversees Holyrood Park and Arthur’s Seat, updated The Tab Edinburgh this morning that all roads in Holyrood Park usually accessible to public traffic have reopened following a review and in consultation with emergency services
