Edinburgh and the Lothians have been issued an “extreme” wildfire risk by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Services (SFRS).

The SFRS are asking the public to exercise caution after an extreme danger assessment was put in place by the Scottish Wildfire Forum (SWF).

This will be in place from Friday, July 11 until Monday, July 14 and covers central and eastern areas on Friday before extending to all areas, except low-lying areas with green grass, from Saturday, 12 July, until Monday, 14 July.

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In light of this warning, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is asking visitors to Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park to stay vigilant, avoid naked flames and dispose of their waste properly.

A HES spokesperson said: “With the dry weather and grounds at this time of year, wildfire can quickly spread causing serious damage to our sensitive sites.

“Our Holyrood Park rangers carry out daily patrols and raising awareness of the heightened fire risk with members of the public on site.

“We would also encourage anyone visiting the Park to be vigilant, avoid naked flame including barbeques, dispose of waste properly and ensure they follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.”

Wildfires have the potential to burn for days and devastate vast areas of land and wildlife, and threaten the welfare of nearby communities.

Group Commander Raymond King is a Wildfire Tactical Advisor at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. He said: “We are asking the public to exercise extreme caution and think twice before using anything involving a naked flame.

“Many rural and remote communities are hugely impacted by wildfires, which can cause significant damage. Livestock, farmland, wildlife, protected woodland, and sites of special scientific interest can all be devastated by these fires – as can the lives of people living and working in rural communities.

“These fires can also have a hugely negative impact on the environment, and the release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

“Human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments and always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.”

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