March 13, 2013
Residents around the Yass Valley are worried wind turbines will put their properties at risk from bushfires.
The recent Cobbler Road fire tore through land where the Yass Valley and Conroy’s Gap wind farms are proposed.
Bookham property owner Sam Weir said aeroplanes couldn’t fly within one kilometre of a stationary turbine, and weren’t allowed within five kilometres down wind of a moving turbine.
Wind farm company Epuron said turbines wouldn’t stop fire fighting aircraft from assisting during an emergency.
Yass Valley Wind Farm project manager Andrew Wilson said planes wouldn’t be able to fly too close so fire fighting would be different.