Rapid joint response prevents major wildfire escalation in the Pentland Hills

Press Release

A wildfire at Eastside Farm in the Pentland Hills outside Edinburgh on 25 May prompted a major multi-agency response, with public sector teams working alongside land managers, farmers and gamekeepers to contain the fire and protect the wider landscape. 

The incident occurred against a backdrop of elevated wildfire risk with a warning in place until 1 June, as well as sustained wildfire pressure following last year’s major Carrbridge-Dava Moor fire and a growing focus on national wildfire preparedness.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) mobilised six appliances after being alerted at 4.23pm, with crews remaining on scene until around 10.22pm to bring the blaze under control and ensure the area was safe. Firefighters from several stations across the southeast contributed to the wider effort, in difficult conditions.

Alongside the public sector response, Gavin Kippen – a seasonal worker on Eastside Farm – coordinated a substantial local effort involving 16 gamekeepers and 14 farmers armed with fogging units, all-terrain vehicles and a tractor deployed to tackle the fire across steep and challenging ground. Support came from across the Pentlands and beyond, including 10 estates, farms and rural businesses with the specialist skills and equipment needed to respond quickly and effectively.

Based on local estimates, the fire affected approximately 17 hectares. Without rapid intervention, there was a credible risk of the fire spreading across as much as 550 hectares, with the potential for a much larger escalation across Black Hill and the main Pentland ridge. As well as threatening the wider landscape and neighbouring landholdings, fires at this time of year can also damage sensitive moorland habitat and destroy the nests of ground-nesting birds during the breeding season.

Jenny Cowan of Eastside Farm said: “We are extremely grateful to the Pentland community, and beyond, who came together to stop a wildfire in the Green Cleugh. 

“Without the swift action of amazing volunteers, this wildfire would have been significantly worse. The farming and gamekeeping communities were exceptional, utterly selfless and brave in what was a frightening and fast-moving situation. 

“The SFRS offered huge support and the Sighthill firefighters that were first on the scene were fantastic. 

“I don’t use the term hero lightly, but those involved in the response effort were just that. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Ross Ewing, Director of Moorland & Strategic Projects for Scottish Land & Estates, said: “This incident underscores the fundamental importance of estates and rural businesses working in partnership with the SFRS when it comes to responding to wildfire incidents. 

“The people who work this land every day bring specialist knowledge, practical skills and equipment that the public sector alone cannot replicate at short notice. This was another superb example of land managers and the SFRS working together, and we pay tribute to the 10 estates and farms who answered the call for help.”

“Managed muirburn, carried out lawfully and responsibly over many years, proved instrumental at Eastside. The areas that had been burned previously helped land managers gain access, create firebreaks and slow the fire’s progress, giving those on the ground a far better chance of containing it. When it comes to wildfire behaviour, the weather and topography are beyond our control. The one factor we can influence is fuel – the amount of above-ground vegetation available to burn. 

“That is why active land management matters so much. Reducing fuel loads and maintaining practical knowledge, skills and equipment through muirburn operations helps build resilience in these landscapes and strengthens our ability to respond when wildfire strikes.

“This incident also underscores the importance of accessing the countryside responsibly. Local authorities will soon have powers to implement fire management byelaws, similar to those in place in the Cairngorms National Park. This incident should prompt consideration as to whether such powers should urgently be made available in the Pentlands.”

Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Kenny Barbour, Head of Prevention for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.  "We are extremely grateful for the exceptional support provided by the local farming and land management community whose knowledge, equipment and commitment proved invaluable in helping bring the fire under control so quickly. 

“Responding safely to wildfires often requires a unique collaborative effort between our crews, landowners and other responders working to protect our communities and the environment. 

“We would encourage anyone wishing to partner with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service on emergency response to join the Community Asset Register - a Scotland wide database of trained volunteers with access to equipment who can safely assist during wildfire incidents." 

Nick Marshall, a volunteer from neighbouring Baddinsgill Farm, said: “We need to change perceptions so that muirburn is correctly recognised and implemented as a vital tool to prevent wildfire. We must stop politicising it and instead use it as part of our toolkit for managing our wild spaces. 

“The skills that helped to prevent this fire from becoming a much more serious incident were developed through decades of experience and generational knowledge of controlled muirburning.”