Tony
12-31-2007, 12:35 AM
SPONTANEOUSLY combusting hay bales have caused havoc in the Midlands over the past three weeks.
The Tasmania Fire Service has attended three significant fires in hay and lucerne stockpiles.
The losses in the Midlands area have been in excess of $70,000.
David Taylor lost part of his stockpile on his property Kennilworth last week. "We looked out of the shearing shed and saw a puff of smoke coming out of the hay stack," he said. "We poured water on them until we got a couple of tractors to start pulling them apart."
Campbell Town and Barton fire brigades were called and with farm workers managed to save 160 of the 180 bales.
"It's never happened to me before," Mr Taylor said. "The lesson is the more you hurry to get it into the shed the more likely it is to go up."
South Esk district officer Craig Maxwell said the combustion occurs as a biological reaction to hay baled too early.
"Decomposing hay can build up heat to between 70 and 76C," he said. "I wouldn't put my arm in the middle of a haystack."
Mr Maxwell said traditionally farmers have put crowbars or steel bars into the middle of stacks. "Every so often they feel it with their hands," he said. "When it's so hot it's untouchable they know they're in deep trouble and they pull it apart."
Mr Maxwell said the extreme climatic conditions of the past two years have led to a significant increase in combusting hay bales this year.
"We have had a prolonged dry spell of almost two years," he said. "The heavy spring rains contributed to a growth spurt, which was followed by another dry period.
"Nine out of ten farmers get it right. They cut it green and leave it in the paddocks to cure."
When Mr Taylor cut his hay it had a substantial amount of spring moisture in it. The hay was laying in the paddocks for four weeks before he started stacking. Then he baled his hay to avoid more rain.
Mr Maxwell said most fires occur in the middle of a haystack. "There's a rich tobacco smell comes off them before they start to give off smoke."
Mr Taylor said the most important thing for farmers to remember is not to start pulling apart stacks before being organised with water.
"It's like opening up a door on a house fire," he said.
The fire service warns that grass hay and lucerne that has been baled in the past six to eight weeks is at most risk, given the climatic conditions during the cultivation time.
They may need to remove bales from sheds or stacks to prevent the build-up of heat in them.
The Tasmania Fire Service has attended three significant fires in hay and lucerne stockpiles.
The losses in the Midlands area have been in excess of $70,000.
David Taylor lost part of his stockpile on his property Kennilworth last week. "We looked out of the shearing shed and saw a puff of smoke coming out of the hay stack," he said. "We poured water on them until we got a couple of tractors to start pulling them apart."
Campbell Town and Barton fire brigades were called and with farm workers managed to save 160 of the 180 bales.
"It's never happened to me before," Mr Taylor said. "The lesson is the more you hurry to get it into the shed the more likely it is to go up."
South Esk district officer Craig Maxwell said the combustion occurs as a biological reaction to hay baled too early.
"Decomposing hay can build up heat to between 70 and 76C," he said. "I wouldn't put my arm in the middle of a haystack."
Mr Maxwell said traditionally farmers have put crowbars or steel bars into the middle of stacks. "Every so often they feel it with their hands," he said. "When it's so hot it's untouchable they know they're in deep trouble and they pull it apart."
Mr Maxwell said the extreme climatic conditions of the past two years have led to a significant increase in combusting hay bales this year.
"We have had a prolonged dry spell of almost two years," he said. "The heavy spring rains contributed to a growth spurt, which was followed by another dry period.
"Nine out of ten farmers get it right. They cut it green and leave it in the paddocks to cure."
When Mr Taylor cut his hay it had a substantial amount of spring moisture in it. The hay was laying in the paddocks for four weeks before he started stacking. Then he baled his hay to avoid more rain.
Mr Maxwell said most fires occur in the middle of a haystack. "There's a rich tobacco smell comes off them before they start to give off smoke."
Mr Taylor said the most important thing for farmers to remember is not to start pulling apart stacks before being organised with water.
"It's like opening up a door on a house fire," he said.
The fire service warns that grass hay and lucerne that has been baled in the past six to eight weeks is at most risk, given the climatic conditions during the cultivation time.
They may need to remove bales from sheds or stacks to prevent the build-up of heat in them.