Firefighters deal with blaze at new town

Firefighters were called out to a fire in a field in the outskirts of Inverness yesterday – at the site of whatwill be the north’s newest town.

A fire service spokeswoman said that one appliance from Inverness went to the field at Tornagrain, close to the A96 InvernessNairn road, at about 3.45pm.

The spokeswoman said that a motorist travelling from Elgin to theHighland capital dialled 999 after spotting the flames from the road. The fire, which contained bundles of tyres and plastic, was 300 to 400 yards away from the location where the very first houses are being built at Tornagrain.

The first residents will move into their newhomes at the end of this month – and will eventually live in a standalone community complete with village green, supermarket and boutique shops.

In his first newspaper interview about Tornagrain last month, developer the Earl of Moray spoke of his vision to create a true community for the 10,000 peoplewhowill eventually populate the development on the outskirts of Inverness.

Yesterday, in a nearby field containing what resembled a large bonfire, a single fire appliance could beseen driving across to access the flames at the opposite side – but it left within five minutes.

A 4x4 vehicle was also driving in the area, and two diggers appeared to be moving some of the charred waste.

A resident of nearby Culblair Farm said he was unaware of the burning when contacted in the evening.

Earlier this week there was also a spate of wildfires across the Highlands as a result of dry conditions.

Two wildfires – one each at Scoraig by Little Loch Broom and Oykel Bridge near Lairg – spread to a two-mile front at one point but were ultimately dealt with by crews.

Another two smaller wildfires developed in the Portree area of Skye.

Firefighters at the scene of the blaze in a field at Tornagrain