Wire theft suspected as cause of solar farm fire in North Carolina

What happened

A fire broke out at a solar installation operated by ACT Power Services near Cal Floyd Road in Northampton County, North Carolina. Officials from the North Carolina Forest Service said the fire was not caused by equipment malfunction or intentional burning, but evidence suggested it was sparked by wire theft, with cut electrical wires arcing or sparking and igniting dry grass beneath the panels. Strong winds pushed the fire east and north-northeast, and it eventually burned about 45 acres, including roughly 15 acres of surrounding woodland.

About 30 firefighters from local departments and the Forest Service worked the scene for several hours, using bulldozers to cut firebreaks. The fire was brought under control by about 5:30pm without reaching nearby homes. No injuries were reported. Officials noted that three holes had been cut in the perimeter fencing, consistent with a pattern of recurring wire theft at the site.

Contributing factors

Suspected theft of copper wiring from the rear of solar panels, cut wires arcing or sparking while the array was generating power, dry cured grass beneath the panels acting as fuel, and strong west winds spreading the resulting fire.

Lessons learned

1. Perimeter fencing at solar sites must be checked often for cuts, as three holes showed recurring theft that led to live wire exposure.
2. Dry grass under panels must be cleared, as it fuelled the fire started by arcing from cut wires.
3. Strong winds can spread fire quickly across a site and into woodland, so early isolation and firebreaks are needed.

More lessons on theft, arson and site security, spacing, layout and fire spread, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

• Confirmed cause of the ignition
• Solar array model and age
• Downtime and lost generation
• Cost of damage and repairs

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

Source

rrdailyherald.com