Fire damages solar panels at Verwood farm during heatwave

What happened

A fire broke out at Verwood Solar Farm near St Michael's Road in Verwood, Dorset, on 11 July 2022 shortly before 3pm. The 113-acre site contains more than 80,000 solar panels. A grassy area, reportedly about 500ft by 330ft, burned for at least three hours, and a number of panels were damaged. About 20 firefighters attended. The Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said poorly parked cars blocked nearby roads, so crews had to reverse appliances along Margards Lane and Howe Lane and find another way in. The service said the delay allowed the fire to spread further. The cause was under investigation.

Contributing factors

Poor parking blocked fire-service access, according to the fire service. The fire occurred during a UK heatwave, with temperatures reported as nudging 35C in many areas. No site temperature or ignition cause was stated.

Lessons learned

1. Rural energy sites need emergency access routes that stay usable when nearby roads are blocked by parked vehicles.
2. Hot, dry weather raises the chance that a grass fire will spread across a solar farm before crews arrive.
3. Motorists near energy sites should park so they do not block fire access points.

Source

The Independent (independent.co.uk)