Local Resident Voices Fire Safety Concerns Over Nearby Solar Farm Risks

The Iredell County Planning Board meeting on June 4, 2025, focused heavily on safety concerns related to solar farms, particularly the risk of fire. A resident raised alarms about the potential dangers posed by solar farm equipment, citing multiple incidents of fires at similar facilities across the United States.

The speaker emphasized the urgency of the issue, explaining that if a fire were to ignite in the nearby solar farm area, prevailing northeast winds could quickly spread flames to residential properties. He illustrated this risk with a hypothetical scenario involving a 17-mile-per-hour wind, suggesting that a fire could reach his home in a matter of minutes.

Citing specific examples, the resident referenced a recent fire in East Windsor, Connecticut, where equipment failure led to a blaze, and another incident in New York where a lithium-ion battery fire at a solar farm took four days to extinguish. He expressed concern that such events could pose a significant threat to families living nearby, particularly if they occurred at night when children were asleep.

The resident also highlighted the importance of proper maintenance for solar facilities, warning that neglect could lead to dangerous situations, including "thermal runaway" in battery systems, which can trigger large fires. He concluded by stressing that the windy conditions in the area exacerbate these risks, urging the Planning Board to consider the safety implications of solar farm operations in their planning decisions.

The discussion underscored the community's growing apprehension about the safety of renewable energy installations and the need for stringent regulations to mitigate potential hazards. The Planning Board is expected to take these concerns into account as they move forward with their planning processes.