Firefighters battle large hillside fire in Pentlands

Firefighters are battling a large fire on a hillside in the Pentlands.

Five appliances are battling the fire. Picture: Tony Marsh

Five appliances were called to the land on Gask Hill, between Loganlea and Glencorse reservoirs, just before midday.

It is believed the blaze, which is covering an area of around 500 metres, broke out this morning after the landowner carried out a controlled burning at the site yesterday.

Firefighters from Penicuik, Sighthill, Dalkeith, Liberton and West Linton are on the site alongside four officers.

They are using four jets to bring the blaze under control, with support from a forestry 4x4 vehicle and an Argocat forklift.

The original fire on an area of felled trees was dampened down overnight.

A spokesman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “It reduced to smouldering but then it was brought up again by the wind, and caught fire to the surrounding trees and heather.”