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Wind (onshore)United StatesEIR-0349

Lightning strike suspected in wind turbine fire at La Casa Wind Farm, Texas

Feb 2026Published 7 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

SignificantThermal / fireProvisional
Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
Figure hidden: shown to subscribersMedium confidence
turbine out of service for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate
From the recordRoot cause hiddenFailed part hidden
Where
La Casa Wind Farm, Stephens County, Texas
Operator
NextEra Energy
Owner
La Casa Wind
What
Wind turbine caught fire during thunderstorm
Injuries
None reported

Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): La Casa Wind, NextEra Energy

What happened

A wind turbine at the La Casa Wind Farm in Stephens County, Texas, operated by NextEra Energy and owned by La Casa Wind, caught fire early on 14 February 2026 as a thunderstorm passed through the area. The Breckenridge Fire Department, which responded to the report at about 7:30 a.m., said the likely cause was a lightning strike. The nacelle and one blade were largely burned. At around 10:15 a.m. the remaining portion of the damaged blade flared up again, sending flames from the broken blade.

Firefighters were unable to fight the fire at the top of the turbine, which stands 290 to 375 feet high, but contained a fire on the ground after part of a rotor blade fell near the turbine base. The fire department left the scene by around noon with plans to continue monitoring. No injuries were reported.

Contributing factors

A lightning strike during a thunderstorm is cited by the fire department as the likely cause. A resident quoted in the article noted that wind turbines nationally have experienced fire problems related to lightning strikes and severe weather.

Lessons learned

  1. Lightning protection on wind turbine blades and nacelles must be checked after storms, since a strike can start a nacelle fire.
  2. A nacelle fire at 290 to 375 feet cannot be fought from the ground, so plans must rely on remote isolation and monitoring.
  3. Operators must set an exclusion zone around a burning turbine, since a rotor blade section can fall near the base.

More lessons on weather and external hazards, structural integrity and turbines, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

  • Turbine model and age
  • Duration of downtime
  • Cost of repairs
  • Confirmed cause after investigation

This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.

Source

breckenridgetexan.com

Site page: La Casa Wind (status, dates and other incidents)

Published 2026-09-07. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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Chart to reuse with this story: Wind (onshore) incidents in the United States, by year, free with a credit (PNG).

Wind (onshore) incidents in the United States: 102 entries, with a free alert for the next one.

Wind turbine fires: the counts, the latest entries and a free alert for the next one. Also: wind turbine blade failures and wind turbine nacelle fires.

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