Brush fire damages solar equipment at FPL Palm Bay site

What happened

On 11 May 2024, Palm Bay firefighters responded to a brush fire at the FPL Palm Bay Solar Energy Center on Centerlane Road in Palm Bay, Florida. The fire was reported just before 1 p.m. Crews arrived to a 68-acre fire that had grown to around 70 acres by the time it was put out about seven and a half hours later. Solar equipment made the fire hard to deal with.

Crews chased hot spots that started new fires as variable winds continued to fuel them. The fire was under control by 6:15 p.m. and fully extinguished around 8:30 p.m. Heat and fire damaged some solar equipment. No other property was reported damaged or lost. The cause was still under investigation. A burn ban was in place in Palm Bay because of worsening drought. The Florida Forest Service also attended.

Contributing factors

The cause had not been established. The fire department said variable winds kept fuelling new fires from hot spots, and solar equipment made the fire hard to handle. A burn ban was in place because of drought, but the source does not say that drought started the fire.

Lessons learned

1. Ensure vegetation management plans account for drought and wind conditions at solar sites.
2. Pre-plan firefighting access routes that avoid live electrical equipment.
3. Maintain close coordination with local fire services and forest agencies during high-risk periods.

Source

clickorlando.com