Dry conditions increase fire hazards for farmers

Strome Fire Department responded to a fire call the afternoon of Friday, Sept 13 to a field fire at Range Road 444 and Township Road 144.

Fire fighters discovered a field fire, started by machinery, and quickly worked to contain it. A number of neighbouring landowners were already on the scene battling the spread of the fire with extra equipment, and the fire was contained quickly by the combined efforts.

Regional Fire Chief Kim Cannady says, “The fire started on the combine and spread to the field. Fortunately the operator had a water extinguisher on hand and was able to knock the fire down enough until more help arrived, so the combine suffered slight damage and is repairable.”

Cannady added, “As you can imagine, it is very dry out there.

“Conditions are hazardous, and this is the time of year that worries me most. Not only is it dry, but the fire load is tremendous with standing crops. When dry standing crop fields catch fire, the heat release contributes to rapid fire spread and makes it very difficult to control.”

Cannady has some tips to reduce fire hazards, “To make combining safer I recommend the combine begin at the downwind side of a field when possible. By starting downwind if a fire occurs the flames will be pushed toward stubble and not the dry standing crop.”

The Alliance Fire Department responded to a grain truck fire east of Alliance on Saturday, Apr. 14. The truck caught on fire on the gravel road and burned up. Cannady says the fire did not spread to the nearby field, and the cause is still being investigated.

Later on Saturday, the Heisler Fire Department responded to a pickup truck that was on fire in a pasture field. The fire was discovered when a neighbour drove by the field. Firefighters were unable to save the truck as it was engulfed, but they did extinguish a small grass fire on the field.

The cause of this fire was discovered to be electrical fault.