Aerial photographs show the extensive damage caused by a fire next to a Fife quarry.
Swathes of open land next to the Prestonhill Quarry in Inverkeithing caught fire on Wednesday, leaving gorse and fields scorched.
Fire crews battled until late into the evening to put the fire out, using backpacks filled with water.
Firefighters also used paddles to beat the flames, as the fire continued to edge towards nearby houses.
Police closed the Fife coastal path linking Inverkeithing with Dalgety Bay as plumes of smoke continued to drift across the area.
Concern for neighbours of Prestonhill Quarry
Residents in Preston Terrace, situated closest to the fire, watched the flames creep closer to their homes.
One resident said he was startled to see the fire so close.
He said: “I was working at home and heard running water and initially thought it was a burst water water or something.
“I then looked out of the window and couldn’t believe it as there was smoke and flames right across the adjacent field.
“I went outside and was immediately struck by the smell of burning and the loud crackling of the field as it burned.
“The firefighters did an amazing job tackling the fire with paddles and continued late into the evening.”
He added: “There was quite a concern for a while that the fire would reach right up to the edge of the field, which is just a few feet from our front doors.
“Thankfully firefighters eventually managed to halt the fire which was a huge relief for everyone.”
Inverkeithing man Tony Macdonald, who walks his dog along the path most evenings, said the area was full of smoke when he arrived at around 6pm.
He said: “Fire crews were already tackling the blaze and you could smell the burning grass and gorse in the air.
“You could clearly see the flames in the field from the road and firefighters tackling the fire.
“Police had taped off the access to the coastal path and were turning people away.”
The images, captured by local drone enthusiast, Stuart Ruthven, show the extent of the damaged area.
Stuart said: “The images are taken from a maximum height of around 120 metres and show how far the fire reached.
“One of the photographs shows the extent of the emergency response as several fire engines and a number of police vehicles are visible.”
It’s still unclear how the fire started but recent sweltering weather conditions have made the land immediately around Prestonhill Quarry tinder dry which helped the blaze to spread quickly.
Police Scotland said the coastal path reopened to the public on Thursday morning but has yet to confirm if the fire is being treated as deliberate.
It comes just days after fears youngsters were putting their lives at risk “tombstoning” into the notorious Fife quarry.
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