Firefighters, farmers fight Sunday bale blaze

Thick, white smoke and the stench of scorched hay filled the air on Sunday, June 27. Shortly before 3 p.m., firefighters were called to a field near the intersection of 67th Avenue Northeast and 20th Street Northeast, one mile west of New Rockford. The Levi and Casey Weber families had stacked about a thousand bales between two stacks there recently.

A dozen firefighters responded to the call, and they used an estimated 25,000 gallons of water and foam to put out the blaze. Area farmers also came to assist, bringing water tanks and farm equipment to help separate the bales and minimize the loss.

"With bales, the only way to effectively extinguish them is to get them spread out," said New Rockford Fire Chief Todd Allmaras.

As shown in the photo above, firefighters and producers worked together to separate the burning bales, move them a safe distance away from the stack and give them air to burn up. Bales that were pulled from the stack by tractors with hay forks ignited into 10 ft. high flames right on the fork, often disintegrating before they were even dropped to the ground.

"We were fortunate there wasn't a lot of wind," Allmaras said. Volunteers used both pumper trucks and ATVs to spray water and foam on the burning bales. Foam is effective because it breaks the surface tension of the water to make it wetter, producing a smothering effect.

Their tactic was mildly successful, as 650 of the 1,000 bales were saved. The second stack was untouched. The loss is estimated at $25,000- $30,000 based on a $60 to $80 market price for the 350 large round bales that were destroyed.

Allmaras said Wednesday that officially the cause of the fire is unknown. Since it was fresh hay put up early in the season, it is possible, however, that the bales were ignited by spontaneous combustion.

According to data from NDSU Extension, excessive moisture is the most common cause of hay fires. "A chemical reaction, in high-moisture haystacks or bales, produces flammable gas that can ignite if the temperature is high enough (about 130 degrees Fahrenheit)," notes NDSU Extension Dairy Specialist J.W. Schroeder (ag.ndsu.edu) That may sound odd given the drought conditions experienced in our area, but is actually quite common with fresh hay.

Fire is possible in loose, baled or stacked hay, whether stored inside or outside. Hay becomes a fire hazard when the moisture content is 20 percent or higher in small stacked bales, and more than 18 percent in stacked, large square or round bales. Hay fires usually occur within six weeks of baling. Typically producers cut down the hay and let it cure, but sometimes the heads and seeds are not completely cured when the hay is baled and stacked.

NDSU Extension offers the following tips to prevent hay fires:

• Do not bale hay in the early morning if the moisture concentration increased overnight because of humidity.

• Use specialized hay equipment that increases crop-drying rates, especially during good hay-curing weather, to help reduce the hay's moisture concentration.

• Use hay preservatives to inhibit or reduce bacterial growth in moist hay.

• Do not pile all of your hay in one spot if possible. That will keep you from losing the entire harvest, as well as barns and equipment, if some hay does create a fire.

• Check your hay moisture levels regularly. If you detect a slight caramel odor or distinct musty smell, your hay likely is heating. At this point, checking the moisture is too late; you'll need to monitor the hay's temperature.

• Insert a probe into the haystack to monitor the temperature if you suspect your hay is heating.

• Place long planks on top of the hay before surveying the tops of stacks. Do not walk on the hay mass. Attach a safety line to yourself and have another person ready to pull you out in case the hay surface collapses into what is likely a fire pocket.

• Consider creating a firebreak about 15 feet wide around hay stacked or stored outside.

• Spread bales in an area away from other feeds and buildings if you suspect a fire could develop.