A large wildfire broke out just yards away from a notorious quarry in Fife which has been left littered with broken glass and rubbish in recent days. Sunseekers flocked to Prestonhill Quarry in Inverkeithing at the start of the week to escape the soaring temperatures caused by the heatwave.
But emergency services were called to the scene on Wednesday afternoon after a blaze broke out in the thick gorse surrounding the hills and entrance to the beauty spot. Walkers on the coastal path reported being covered in ash which rained down from the sky while being held back behind a cordon as fire crews tackled the flames.
Thick black smoke billowing into the sky could also be seen from neighbouring towns. Three fire engines managed to extinguish the blaze which came perilously close to nearby houses and a timber yard.
Fife Police tweeted: “The coastal path between Dalgety Bay and Inverkeithing has been closed due to a fire in the gorse bushes. Scottish Fire and rescue Service in attendance and having to block the pathway, so all vehicles will be stuck there for now.
“Lots of rubbish and broken glass too.”
We previously told how some reckless youths were spotted 'tombstoning' into the water on Tuesday despite three people having died at the quarry in recent years. Cameron Lancaster lost his life in 2014 after jumping into the water from the cliff as part of an ice bucket challenge.
His brave mum Gillian Barclay has tirelessly campaigned to raise awareness about safety around water. But just 10 months later, 18-year-old John McKay died in tragically similar circumstances. His sister Shannon later called for the quarry to be filled in.
And in 2017, Edinburgh teacher Kelda Henderson died after getting into difficulty in the water while scuba diving.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We were alerted at 5.33pm on Wednesday, 20 July to reports of a large area of grass and trees alight near Preston Crescent, Inverkeithing.
"Operations Control mobilised three appliances to the scene to extinguish the fire and make the area safe. There were no reported casualties."
Police Scotland have been contacted for comment.
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