Rooftop solar panels could prevent firefighters from gaining necessary access when battling a home fire, officials said. “Solar panels are, of course, placed on roofs and that can cause an obstacle for our firefighters,” Mesa Fire Deputy Chief Forrest Smith said. The rooftop panels make it harder for firefighters to drill or cut vent holes that help lower air temperatures inside a burning home and allow hot gases and smoke to escape. Smith said solar panels are also an electrocution hazard and could be tough to identify.