How Prepared is Latvia for Fires at Wind Turbines? Explains the State Fire and Rescue Service

Although there are often concerns in society about possible fires in wind farms, the State Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) provides a reassuring assessment — such incidents are extremely rare, and Latvia's approach to managing them is based on internationally recognized practices.

According to information from the State Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), the design of wind turbines itself reduces the risk of fire. They contain relatively few combustible materials, and fires most often occur in the upper part of the generator — the gondola, where the mechanisms and electronics are located, writes tv3.lv.

In addition, some modern installations are already equipped with automatic fire detection and extinguishing systems, which allows for timely response and limits the spread of fire.

Equally important is the location of the generators — they are usually situated in open areas, away from buildings and infrastructure. This means that the potential threat to people and the environment is significantly lower than, for example, in fires in residential or industrial buildings.

How are such fires extinguished?

The SFRS explains that in such cases, classical firefighting is often impossible or impractical. The reasons include the great height of the generators, difficult access, and safety risks, including falling parts or structural collapse.

Therefore, the rescue services' tactics focus on three main areas:

assessment and monitoring of the situation,
establishment of a safety zone,
protection of the surrounding area and prevention of secondary fires.

Interestingly, global experience does not justify the acquisition of special equipment for extinguishing wind turbines. The SFRS notes that such solutions are hardly developed by manufacturers, as their application would be limited and ineffective.

Instead, the main emphasis is placed on the built-in safety systems of the generators themselves. Representatives of the Norwegian rescue services also recently confirmed that they adhere to a similar approach.

In each specific case, actions are determined by the head of the rescue operations, assessing a number of factors — weather conditions, design features, and potential risks. This means that there is no universal scenario, and each incident is analyzed individually.

Although the current system is considered adequate, the SFRS continues to monitor new trends. In the summer of 2026, Latvia will host an international meeting involving fire and rescue services from the Baltic and Northern European countries, where one of the key issues will be the management of fires at wind turbines.