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Wildfire tackled in Pentland Hills but 'high risk' warning lifted

SGA Media Gamekeepers battle smoke on a field with hills in the distanceSGA Media
Gamekeepers helped to tackle the wildfire in the Pentland Hills on Thursday

Firefighters have been tackling a wildfire in the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh but a "very high" risk warning covering parts of the country has been lifted.

Emergency crews were called to Torduff Reservoir shortly before 18:00 on Thursday.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) had put out a warning for south-west Scotland on Thursday and one for central and eastern parts from Friday until Monday.

However, a change in the weather forecast resulted in the second alert being rescinded.

John Farquhar Smoke rises off a field by a riverJohn Farquhar
Emergency crews were called to Torduff Reservoir

SFRS said it still urged people in all parts of Scotland to "remain vigilant" at all times and follow local guidelines where applicable, and always be cautious when using naked flames outdoors

Anyone who spots a wildfire should report it immediately by calling 999.

The warning came just days after a fire on Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh.

At its height, three teams and specialist wild fire resources were battling the blaze which broke out on Monday.

Firefighters remained at the scene on Tuesday as dampening down operations continued.

Last year, two fathers and their sons were airlifted to safety from a hillside wildfire during a camping trip in Dumfries and Galloway.

The incident in the Galloway Forest Park near Newton Stewart caused widespread damage.