This article appears as part of the Winds of Change newsletter.

Swimming off Portobello beach on Sunday, I saw the plume as it started to drift across the sea. Most likely, I thought, as I watched it darken the blue sky, a wildfire on Arthur’s Seat. Later, I saw the giant cloud of beige and grey as I passed along the coast, and it felt like a reminder.

We may not know the exact cause, but it's humans who were the problem.

The latest Arthur’s Seat blaze, as wildfires go, has been relatively small – we’ve had much bigger just this year at Carrbridge and Dava in the Highlands, earlier this summer, taking out 11,827 hectares. Nor is it the only one I can remember that has set Edinburgh’s mini mountain alight.

None of this is entirely new. But it does serve the capital with a visible reminder of Scotland’s wildfire risk, in a time increasing evidence is showing that climate change is set to bring more of it.

Above all, it flags up that here in Scotland we need to change our approach to fire. Flames and sparks, disposable and portable barbecues, campfires even, should all be given a miss in areas of even the remotest risk on dry summer days - and we all need to spread that message.

Earlier this year, a wildfire at Glenfinglas in the Trossachs, was sparked by a disposable barbecue. The grill was even found, post blaze, with a charred burger still atop. The Arthur’s Seat fire was said to be likely due to "human activity".

So, yes, it's increasingly clear that one........

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