Mr. Heath said people should be prepared for what they would see after the blaze had been put out: "The damage to this building, regrettably, is very extensive."
He said that "every part of the building" had been affected and that part of the roof had collapsed.
There were no immediate reports of casualties, and the cause of the fire was not immediately clear.
Footage shared on social media showed flames and smoke billowing from the roof. Mr. Heath told reporters that the blaze had "consumed" about 50 percent of the building and had spread to adjacent buildings, including a cinema and shops, which suffered some damage.
Deputy Chief Officer Iain Bushell, in charge at the scene, said, "We would urge the occupants of surrounding buildings to remain indoors and keep their windows closed," according to The Associated Press.
Scotland has deep emotional ties to the building. "In such an iconic building, which has such affection not just for the people of Scotland but for people around the world, any damage in the building has a devastating effect," Mr. Heath, of the fire service, said.
The leader of the Scottish government, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, said on Twitter that she was heartbroken: "My first thoughts tonight are for the safety of people — but my heart also breaks for Glasgow's beloved @GSofA."
David Mundell, the Scotland secretary in the British government, tweeted that he was "devastated," adding that his government was "ready to help, financially or otherwise." He had visited the building only two weeks ago.
The Art Nouveau building, which housed a working art school, is considered a work of art in its own right. It was best known for its library — a multitiered gem, with distinctive fin-de-siècle chandelier lighting; carefully wrought colored balustrades; elongated windows; and ornamental carvings on tables.
The 2014 fire started below the library, when an overhead projector ignited solvent in a student's artwork, and destroyed much of the interior's western half.
As restoration work began, the art school's director, Prof. Tom Inns, said that the 2014 fire had proved to be "a significant catalyst in how we think about the space."
A new fire-safety system, with a misting infrastructure, was to be part of the restoration work.
The campus began a fund-raising appeal with a goal of 32 million pounds (now about $42.5 million) to help restore the building. Celebrities like the actors Brad Pitt and Peter Capaldi were among those who signed up as trustees to help the Glasgow School of Art raise £20 million toward the restoration.
Mr. Pitt's interest in architecture is well known; and Mr. Capaldi, of "Doctor Who" fame, studied at the school in the 1980s. He recorded a tribute to the art students whose works were either damaged or destroyed during the 2014 blaze.
The building had been scheduled to reopen around spring next year, an official told the BBC.
"Devastated that a major fire has broken out at the Glasgow School of Art tonight," the shadow minister for Scotland, Paul Sweeney, tweeted, calling the Mackintosh "the most architecturally important building in Glasgow."
Some students had graduated from the school earlier on Friday. People stood on the street in shock as they watched firefighters battle the blaze.
Connor Neil, a 22-year-old chef from Glasgow, said that residents were being evacuated from their homes and that a "big orange light" from the school could be seen from far away, The A.P. said.
A number of roads around the art school were closed while crews tackled the blaze.
The building had attracted around 25,000 visitors each year before the 2014 blaze, with tours conducted by art school students.
Peter Robins contributed reporting.
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