Target 10 Communicator
January 2011 Edition
TIPS TO MINIMISE THE RISKS OF HAYSTACK FIRE
Losing hay to fire is a disappointing and costly end to the harvest, and the increase in rain events in the last couple of months has increased the risk of haystack fires considerably. In seasons like this, curing fodder is often baled slightly too wet due to incoming rain, moist ground under the windrow, possibly too much dew on forage at baling, extremely heavy crops, poor curing weather, nodes and seed heads still wrapped in the flag leaf sheath not being cured enough, incorrectly calibrated or improperly used moisture meters. As a result some of the hay produced this season may have a moisture content 2-5 per cent higher then recommended for safe storage.
| Bale Type | Moisture content range (%) |
|---|---|
| Small rectangular bales | 16 – 18 |
| Round bales (Soft centre) | 14 – 16 |
| Round bales (Hard centre) | 13 - 15 |
| Large rectangular bales | 12 -14 |
| Export Hay | Under 12 |
Table 1: Recommended moisture contents (%) for safe storage of various bale types
The increase in moisture at baling severely increases the risk of fire occurring in your haystacks. It's now crucial that all haystacks are monitored and managed correctly in coming months to minimise the risk of fires and the losses they can incur.
Signs that your hay is heating up:
Most heating will occur during the first two weeks, but hay has been known to reach “flash point” up to eight weeks after baling. Signs that hay is heating up include:
- Dampness on tops of bales
- Visible Vapour, Steam or Smoke
- Mould Growth
- Moisture build-up on roof or under a tarped outside stack
- Acrid Fumes
- Strong musty smell
- Hot, Humid Air at the top of the Stack
If you suspect your hay has been baled at higher moisture content there are a number of things that you can do when stacking your bales to help reduce the risk of fire:
- Stack the bales loosely to allow air movement around them.
- Spread the stack over a wide area to reduce heat build-up.
- Stack hay in a number of different stacks to reduce loss in the instance of a fire.
- Monitor the stack temperature regularly.
How to monitor your stacks:
Insert a crowbar as deeply as possible into the stack. After two hours, remove the crowbar and check its temperature with your hand. If you can hold the bar without discomfort, the temperature is up to about 50°C. If you can only hold the bar for a short time the temperature is up to 60°C, and if you can only touch the bar briefly it is up to 70°C. If you can't hold the bar, the temperature is above 70°C and fire is a real possibility.
| Indicative Temp. | Crow Bar Feel | Actions |
|---|---|---|
| < 50° Celsius | Can handle bar without discomfort | Check temperature daily |
| 50 – 60° Celsius | Can handle bar for short time. | Check temperature twice daily. Remove equipment from shed. |
| 60 – 70° Celsius | Can touch bar only briefly. | Check temperature every two hours. Move hay from top layers to improve air flow |
| >70° Celsius | Bar too hot to hold. | Potential for fire. Call CFA immediately. Avoid walking on top of stack |
Remember: As the bales are pulled out, oxygen will now reach the hot spot more quickly and this may actually result in a fire starting. Have the local fire brigade on hand, or at least have a fire cart and some help for safety reasons.
Due to seasonal conditions this year very few people have been able to get there hay produced in perfect conditions. Monitoring haystacks throughout the coming months is an important step to minimising the risk of fire and reducing the damage cost in the instances that they do occur.
