A fire can erupt in a paddock with no warning and no outside spark, silently and without notice. Damp hay bales alone can generate enough internal heat to burst into flames from within.
With warm weather approaching and haymaking under way, the CFA is urging residents and landowners to prepare.
The annual Get Fire Ready campaign is now live, designed to help communities understand their local fire dangers, get their properties in order and know exactly what to do when an emergency strikes.
Rochester is one of more than 630 brigades across the region opening their doors to community events throughout October and early November.
Alongside the campaign, there are practical steps you can take right now — clear your gutters, mow your lawns, trim any overhanging branches and lock in a solid fire plan well before the season kicks off.
The CFA is also issuing warnings to farmers to remain vigilant as haymaking gets under way in the north and north-western parts of the state.
These haystack fires can ignite on their own when hay is baled while it still holds too much moisture, no spark needed.
That trapped moisture generates heat deep inside tightly packed bales — heat which can quietly build until the stack ignites.
The warning follows a serious haystack fire last month at Lockington, which wiped out about 120 bales — a stark reminder of just how fast things can spiral out of control.
“Hay baled with too much moisture can generate heat as it sits in a stack and, under the wrong conditions, that heat can build to the point where a fire starts,” acting assistant chief fire officer Shane Bailey said.
Landowners should keep a close eye on their haystacks, especially in the weeks straight after baling, and make sure stacks are getting adequate airflow.
Where possible, smaller stacks should be used instead of storing large quantities of hay together.
Keeping sheds, gutters and downpipes in good repair can also stop water getting into stored hay.
Temperature probes and remote monitoring technology are also worth considering. Both can flag dangerous heat build-up well before a fire takes hold.
“If a haystack is getting unusually hot, that can be a warning sign that something is happening inside the stack and it needs to be taken seriously,” Mr Bailey said.
The CFA is urging residents and landowners to use the weeks ahead to take a hard, honest look at their fire readiness and act on any gaps before summer is at the door.
More information about Get Fire Ready events and fire preparedness is available at www.cfa.vic.gov.au/about-us/cfa-events/get-fire-ready
For advice on haystack safety, landowners can contact their local CFA brigade.
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