Reports of wildfires across Europe have been mounting in recent years. It is not only holiday destinations in Southern Europe – such as areas around Madrid, Crete and southern France – that are affected. Fires are also breaking out in Great Britain, Belgium and Germany, driven in part by climate change, which is bringing more frequent and persistent heatwaves and periods of drought. The photovoltaic industry must adapt to this changing reality, as the risk of wildfires is expected to increase further. But are we defenseless against these forces of nature, or are there effective measures that can help reduce the risk?
In this context, it is worth looking beyond national borders to countries that have already gained more, and often painful, experience with wildfires. In large parts of France, for example, property owners are legally required to implement what are known as Obligations Légales de Débroussaillement (OLD), a term that can be translated as “legal brush-clearing obligations.” Article L. 131-10 of the French Forestry Code defines these measures as follows:
“Brush clearing: measures to reduce plant-based fuel of any kind with the aim of lowering fire intensity and curbing the spread of fires. These measures ensure sufficient breaks in the vegetation cover. They involve pruning trees that are to be preserved and removing the resulting cuttings.”
Somewhat unusually for a country otherwise governed in a highly centralized manner, local prefectures determine the specific areas covered and the applicable regulations. The affected regions are highlighted in pink on the Geoportal map. However, the requirements apply not only in the Mediterranean region and the south of France. They are also in force in central France and even in Brittany and Normandy – areas not typically associated with extreme heat. Here, the latitude and meteorological conditions are comparable to those in Germany.
The Aquitaine Forest Fire Protection Authority (DFCI) has published a dedicated guide for photovoltaic system operators. The following diagram provides a simplified overview of the applicable regulations.
Parcs Photovoltaïques
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Vegetation within the photovoltaic system must be kept short. This is the most straightforward requirement, as operators have a direct economic interest in preventing shading. For large-scale installations or sites bordering forests, the construction of ditches may also be mandatory. In addition, a five-meter-wide access strip for emergency services must be maintained along both sides of the perimeter fence.
Most of the officially mandated vegetation maintenance and brush clearing must be carried out within a radius of up to 50 meters around the photovoltaic plant’s perimeter fence. This is where complications often arise. On the one hand, adjacent plots are typically not covered by existing lease agreements, requiring operators to coordinate with the respective landowners.
On the other hand, these measures can be complex and costly, particularly when a photovoltaic plant is surrounded by forest or located on hilly, difficult-to-access terrain. The aim is not to clear-cut trees or remove bushes entirely, but to reduce the amount of flammable vegetation. In practice, operators often face conflicts between fire safety requirements and species protection regulations, or between requirements for ecological compensation and rules mandating extensive brush clearing. Close coordination with local authorities is therefore essential.
Another challenge is choosing the right time for the work. If it begins too early in the year, vegetation may grow back significantly before summer. If it starts too late, a wildfire could break out before all protective measures are in place. This leaves only a narrow window, from late spring to early summer, that is suitable for the work. Finding a specialized contractor available during this period can present an additional challenge.
Following the devastating fires around Bordeaux, another preventive measure has come into focus. Firebreaks (pare-feu) are increasingly being proposed in densely forested areas, where trees are planted particularly close together for economic reasons. It remains unclear whether this will result in specific requirements for the planning, construction and operation of photovoltaic systems.
Operators install firefighting water bladders, sometimes as a regulatory requirement and sometimes as a voluntary measure. Several factors must be considered. Close coordination with the local fire department is essential to ensure that emergency crews are equipped and prepared to tackle a fire within the facility. Fire departments are not always trained or willing to actively intervene in fires at solar parks. The water tank should also be accessible from outside the perimeter fence so that no time is lost opening gates or driving into the site.
Another step following vegetation maintenance is to remove the resulting cuttings from the site. Here, too, the aim is to reduce the amount of combustible material. When sheep are used to maintain the vegetation, this happens automatically.
A few weeks ago, pv magazine reported on an 11 MW installation where, despite a massive wildfire sweeping across the solar park, only two module mounting structures, supporting around 100 modules, were damaged.
How was this possible? The decisive factor was the consistent and comprehensive implementation of preventive fire safety measures. Both the investor and the maintenance company have confirmed the details described in the article.
This example shows that preventive fire protection is not merely a regulatory requirement. As climate change advances and the risk of wildfires increases, such measures are increasingly in operators’ own interests. Naturally, the decision to implement additional measures, and their scope, depends largely on local conditions.
Author: Felix Hübner
Felix Hübner is an independent industry expert who advises clients on asset management, project development and business development. He previously worked in operations management at Juwi and for GIZ in India.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own, and do not necessarily reflect those held by pv magazine.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: [email protected].
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