The fire service have asked the public to cease contacting them regarding the incident as they have already received more than 180 calls since the blaze broke out.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: "We are currently in attendance at an incident on Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh.

"Operations Control has mobilised three appliances to the scene. People are being asked to avoid the area as crews work to extinguish a large grass fire.

"There is no further need to alert our Operations Control to this incident as we have already received a large volume of calls."

Firefighters swarmed the area around Arthur's Seat(Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire)

The fire comes as Edinburgh recorded a maximum temperature of 25C, according to the Met Office, amid the UK bank holiday heatwave.

During the Edinburgh Marathon at the weekend, several runners were treated for heat exhaustion. The Scottish Ambulance Service said 16 people were taken to hospital on Sunday.

The fire started in an area of vegetation near the ruins of St Anthony’s Chapel, sending a plume of smoke over the city.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed its crews were called to the scene at around 6.50pm.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has received over 180 emergency calls from residents, The Scotsman reports.

A spokesperson for the fire service reportedly said crews were called to reports of the "grass on fire" near the St Anthony's Chapel ruins at Arthur’s Seat at 6.18pm.

A fire has reportedly broken out at Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh.

We will bring you more information as soon as we have it.