Grass fire threatens under-construction Brigalow solar farm in Queensland
Sept 2019Published 17 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- Brigalow Solar Farm near Yarranlea, Pittsworth, Queensland
- Owner
- Impact Investment Group
- What
- Grass fire broke out in laydown area at under-construction site
- Injuries
- None reported
- Cause
- Not reported
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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): Impact Investment Group
What happened
A grass fire broke out at the under-construction 35MW Brigalow Solar Farm near Yarranlea, Pittsworth, Queensland, on the morning of 9 September 2019, during a wider outbreak of more than 60 bushfires across the state. Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said the fire started just after 9am as the result of a rubbish fire at the solar farm site. Authorities were quoted as saying infrastructure including conduits and solar panel boxes had been caught up in the blaze.
The project owner, Impact Investment Group, said the fire was contained to the laydown area, where construction materials are stored, and that it did not start in an operational or under-construction part of the solar farm. The owner could not confirm the extent of any damage or the cause. No one was hurt, the fire was contained, and the owner said ongoing development of the solar farm would not be affected.
Contributing factors
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services attributed the start of the grass fire to a rubbish fire at the site. The owner said the ignition point was within the laydown area where construction materials are stored. The fire occurred during what authorities described as an unprecedented early start to the Queensland bushfire season, with around 65 separate fires burning across the state that morning. The underlying cause was not confirmed at the time of reporting.
Lessons learned
- Rubbish fires at solar construction sites can ignite conduits and solar panel boxes, so operators should ban open burning and secure waste during high fire danger.
- Fires that start in laydown areas can be contained before reaching active works, so owners should keep material storage zones separate from construction zones.
- Grass fires during early bushfire seasons can threaten multiple sites, so owners should agree firefighting plans with local services before peak risk periods.
More lessons on weather and external hazards, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Cause of the fire
- Extent of damage to conduits and boxes
- Any delay to project completion
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
Published 2026-09-17. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
