Lightning strike destroys wind turbine at rural wind farm

Apr 2021Published 17 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

SignificantThermal / fireProvisional

Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?

turbine out of service for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate

From the recordRoot cause Failed part

Where: wind farm near Mill Creek
What: turbine struck by lightning and caught fire
Injuries: None reported
Response: emergency responders took nearly three hours
Outcome: turbine completely destroyed

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What happened

A wind turbine at a wind farm near Mill Creek was struck by lightning during overnight storms and caught fire. The turbine was located more than two miles from the nearest road, so the fire posed no danger to the public. Emergency responders were called after the strike occurred just after midnight and took nearly three hours to extinguish the blaze. The turbine was reported to be completely destroyed as a result of the fire.

Officials estimated the cost of replacing the turbine at between two and five million dollars. No injuries were reported. The report noted that the region is among the areas of the United States with the highest rates of lightning strikes per square kilometre, which was cited as a contributing environmental factor.

Contributing factors

A direct lightning strike during a storm ignited the turbine, in a region with a high frequency of lightning activity.

Lessons learned

A lightning strike on a wind turbine can destroy the whole machine, so operators in high strike regions should fit and test enhanced blade and nacelle protection.
A remote turbine fire more than two miles from the nearest road needs a plan for delayed access, so responders must rely on early detection and remote isolation.
A nacelle fire after a direct strike took three hours to put out, so insurers should check that remote turbines have adequate detection and suppression.

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

Not yet known

Turbine model and age
Exact cost of replacement
Duration of lost generation

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Source

kxii.com

Published 2026-09-17. 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).

The record behind this entry

The record behind EIR-0934 holds the root cause, what failed and the fire service response as fields you can filter, count and export, with its source and their verification status. The cause is not hidden: the contributing factors above give it as the sources report it. The record adds it as a field. Companies are named in the roles the sources give them. Being named is not a finding of fault.

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Fire service response: ••••••••••
Sources: ••••••••

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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: lightning strikes on energy assets.

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