Wind turbine motor fire blamed for wildfire near Merkel, Texas
Aug 2019Published 17 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- Mulberry Canyon, southwest Taylor County, Texas
- What
- Wind turbine motor fire sparked wildfire that burned 250 acres
- Injuries
- None reported
- Response
- Forest service used air tanker, helicopter and dozers for over a day
- Cause
- Suspected turbine motor fire, no formal findings published
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What happened
A motor on a wind turbine caught fire in Mulberry Canyon, southwest Taylor County, Texas, on 26 August 2019 and was blamed by the Texas A&M Forest Service for sparking a wildfire later named the Rhodes Ranch 3 Fire. The blaze burned about 250 acres of rough canyon and ridge terrain near the turbine. The forest service was called at about 6.30pm to assist several volunteer fire departments. Firefighting was hampered by record heat of 109F in Abilene and by terrain that bulldozers could not reach in places.
The response included a heavy air tanker, a single-engine airplane dropping retardant, a helicopter dropping water on hot spots, and dozers and graders building containment lines. By the following afternoon the fire was 60 percent contained. No structures were burned. Injuries were not reported.
Contributing factors
Record high temperatures of 109F on the day of the fire and rough canyon terrain that limited firefighting access were cited as complicating factors. The turbine motor fire was reported as the suspected ignition source; no formal investigation findings were published in the source.
Lessons learned
- Wind turbine motors in hot conditions need regular checks for overheating, as this motor fire started a wildfire.
- Remote canyon sites need pre agreed access routes with fire services, since bulldozers could not reach parts of the terrain.
More lessons on weather and external hazards, fire suppression and firefighting, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Turbine model and age
- Exact cause of motor fire
- Cost of damage and downtime
- Operator of the turbine
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.
