Nearly 1000 hay bales were lost in five separate fires between Saturday, March 21 and Monday, March 23 as crews responded to call-outs in Strathallan, Rochester, Lockington, Kyabram and Ballendella.
Starting off the marathon weekend, five units responded to a haystack fire at Odea Rd in Strathallan at about 5.31am on Saturday morning.
Firefighters worked alongside the property owners to separate the 25 burning hay bales, successfully containing the fire within 30 minutes.
Half an hour later, four crews responded to 30 hay bales on fire on Burgoine Rd at Rochester.
It was brought under control by 8.16am and left with the owner to monitor overnight.
On Sunday morning at about 9.33am, two crews responded to a fire at Lockington where 12 hay bales were on fire.
The fire was determined under control by 9.48am.
On Monday morning, seven crews from the Kyabram district were awoken at 1.22am for a call-out at McEwen Rd.
Crews found about 110 hay bales on fire and worked to control the blaze by 1.44am.
A couple of hours later, four crews responded to a call-out in Ballendella involving about 800 hay bales on fire.
Fortunately, no buildings or farm equipment were at risk, and firefighters had the blaze under control by 7.06am.
Warnings were issued for each of the incidents, informing residents in the close vicinity to the presence of smoke in the area.
Hay stack fires
Haystack fires often ignite spontaneously due to the presence of moisture when stored, as well as from sparks from machinery and equipment.
Watch for signs of heating hay such as:
– steam rising from haystacks
– condensation under a hayshed
– mould or growth on bales
– unusual odours (caramel smell is most typical)
– slumping in sections of haystack.
For information on how to prevent hay bale ignition, visit cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare
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