A blaze near community football pitches in Monifieth may have been started by a disposable barbecue.
Monifieth Athletic members asking for people to be “mindful” following the blaze yards from a goal frame at Riverview Park on Sunday evening.
James Harle, the secretary at the club said although it remains unclear how the fire started, there was a disposable barbecue in the shrubbery which was torched.
He said: “One of the club coaches was down at the pitches walking his dog when he saw the fire at around 6.30pm.
“It wasn’t on the pitches, thankfully. There was a group of youths there and he shouted over and they legged it.
“He contacted the fire service but it looks like it was a disposable barbecue that perhaps started it.
“There’s an area of around 25 square metres that’s been damaged.
“It obviously remains unclear if this had maybe been started with the best intentions and it got out of hand.”
One appliance was called from Balmossie Fire Station to dampen the flames with a hose-reel jet before crews stood down from the scene a short time later.
James said there was always a “concern” the fire could have spread.
“We’ve had our issues down here in the past. It’s such a big space which is open to everyone.
“It is a concern that this has happened. There are other trees there and it was dry enough that the fire could have potentially spread.
“I would just like people be mindful when using the space, which I’m sure the majority are.
“We did have an issue the night before the fire, where someone had stolen a set of goal nets which we kept-up for the kids to use.
“There was also some preventive measures put in place to stop cars driving on the surface which have also been removed recently.
“We are going to put these back in to try and stop vehicles gaining access onto the ground.
“We know a majority of the community who treat the area with respect but unfortunately there is that small minority who are less respectful of the community and the community assets.”
The club released an image of the incident on Sunday evening before issuing a plea urging anyone who has knowledge of the fire on Sunday to contact Police Scotland.