Wind farm fire fears answered
An industry spokesman for wind power has helped allay fears about wind turbines in bushfires.
Concerns were raised by the Aerial Agricultural Association of Australia, which says it has written to the Federal Government asking for more research into wind farms. They are worried that wake effects or turbulence caused by wind turbines could impact low-flying aircraft trying to drop water on to the site of a fire.
Wind farm environmental consultant Nick Valentine says turbines can be turned off and rendered totally safe in a matter of minutes, and that he would assume most operators switch off turbines as a matter of course in the event of a bushfire.
"The threat from wind farms themselves is relative very low in terms of them causing a fire... it's a matter of responding to particular bush fire events,” Mr Valentine said.