Wind Turbines and Fire
Fire risk accompanies Wind Turbines. AREPA , a Danish company which specialises in industrial recovery, has serviced about twenty eight fires in a four year period and have published a list of incidents they have dealt with.
A further list of turbine accidents, including fires has been prepared by Caithness Windfarms information forum.
Spring Range, Gungahlin, and Fire
Canberra is a high risk fire area as evidenced by the fires on 18th January 2003, which destroyed five hundred homes. The 2003 fires were preceded and accompanied by extreme conditions : winds at times averaging 50 Kilometres per hour, gusting to higher than 70 kilometres per hour accompanied by high temperatures.
The evidence shows that wind turbines are subject to fire risk. Australian conditions can be severe on machinery. A fire incident recorded in South Australia in January 2006 showed that extreme conditions and turbine failure can be coupled.
The prevailing wind at Spring Range is North Westerly. Immediately downwind, about eight kilometres South East of Spring Range, is Gungahlin, an urban population of about 20000. Fires in dry country can travel quickly, particulary if accompanied by high winds blowing embers ahead of the main fire front causing "spotting" fires. The intensity of the blaze is governed by fuel load on the terrain. In extreme conditions if a fire occurred at Spring Range, Gungahlin's warning would be measured in minutes - less than the reasonable reaction time of fire services. The terrain over which such a fire would travel is varied, with some areas carrying heavy fuel loads. No real fire barrier exists between the potential hazard and the suburbs. Further information on fire behaviour can be found on this CSIRO website
In Summary: The evidence shows turbines do catch fire. Canberra conditions heighten the risk. And Gunghalin's proximity downwind of Spring Range magnifies the danger.