A fallen overhead power line is believed to have triggered a grass fire that swept through the Moray village of Hopeman on Tuesday afternoon, destroying crops and gorse across the area.
Emergency crews responded swiftly to the blaze, with six fire appliances and a specialist wildfire unit dispatched to tackle the flames. Firefighters remained at the scene through the night to bring the fire under control and dampen down hotspots the following morning.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) confirmed that a fault on its network in the Hopeman area resulted in an overhead power line falling to the ground. The utility company stated it believed this incident
potentially contributed to the fire which has affected crops and gorse in the area.
According to local reporting, the fire at its peak covered approximately 250 metres by 100 metres. Four fire engines and specialist resources continued working at the scene on Wednesday morning to extinguish remaining hotspots, and residents in the vicinity were advised to keep windows and doors shut due to heavy smoke.
What caused the power outage?
The network fault triggered a significant power disruption affecting more than 1,000 homes in the area. According to reports from the scene, electricity was restored in the early hours of Wednesday morning. SSEN apologised to customers who experienced the outage and to others inconvenienced by the incident.
How did emergency services respond?
SSEN's rapid response teams arrived quickly to support the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and isolated sections of the network to assist firefighting efforts. The utility company stated:
Our rapid response teams were on site quickly to aid the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and we isolated parts of the network to help their work in extinguishing the fire.
Footage from the scene showed flames and dense smoke rising beside a nearby campsite containing campervans and caravans, highlighting the proximity of the fire to residential areas.
What happens next?
SSEN confirmed that the cause of the network fault remains under investigation. The company has not yet released findings into what led to the power line failure or provided a timeline for when conclusions may be reached.
Key Facts:
- A fallen power line in Hopeman, Moray, on Tuesday afternoon is suspected of causing a grass fire affecting crops and gorse
- Six fire appliances and a wildfire unit responded, with crews working through the night and into Wednesday morning
- The fire covered approximately 250 metres by 100 metres at its peak
- More than 1,000 homes lost power; electricity was restored in the early hours of Wednesday
- The cause of the network fault is under investigation by SSEN
