One argument sometimes raised against wind farms is that they will hinder aerial firefighting efforts. Anti-windfarm campaigners are flogging this line for all it’s worth, such as in this article in the January 11 Goulburn Post.
What do firefighters actually think about wind farms, though? This comment on the article is from someone who calls themself “your local firefighter” and illustrates some commonsense benefits of wind farms in relation to fires.
The reality is (if ever the coal and gas centric’ ? Landscape Guardians ?) that most firefighters admit that the enhanced access for a Wind Farm will enable much faster crew access to fires on permanently maintained high standard roads through a turbine cluster which will allow faster and easier fire suppression.
It is a fact that climate denial, coal and gas centric anti wind farm lobbyists DO NOT want published that fire suppression will improve in and around a wind farm despite the lack of air support right near the turbines.
It is also a fact that Wind Farm development companies’ have a community fund and at Bungedore a new fire truck was supplied, who would NOT want that benefit in 2013?
It is also a fact that turbines will attract and discharge lightning, there fore, some active strikes will NOT turn into fire as the metal tower discharges the strike into the ground through its inbuilt lightning protection and who would NOT want that?
We hope everyone stays safe in this fire season, and that everyone tries not to scapegoat wind farms for the dangers.
yes2renewables.org 
Excellent! I’ve added this to my other material on the subject here:
http://www.quora.com/Wind-Power/How-likely-is-it-that-a-wind-turbine-will-cause-a-forest-fire/answer/Mike-Barnard
I read an environmental report on a wind farm proposal. In it there was a concern raised that the construction trucks would introduce new flora. The solution was a wash down area.
It was suggested by the applicant that the wash down device could actually be a fire appliance, another plus for the project.
And of course the access road does help fire fighters get to the best strategic positions faster and safer.
all weather well constructed access roads can only be a bonus.
as can an area of land being constantly supervised with real time local weather monitoring…..