# Avoiding the dreaded barn fire



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Hi folks, JD3430 the newbie here. I was trying to negotiate using some barn space with a new customer. It's a historical barn that is not allowed to be torn down. He was very kind to let me use the barn to store hay. Driving home, I thought of the awesome responsibility I just accepted. I thought about the dreaded barn fire, too. 
My guess is barn fires all start with the decision to bale hay too early when it's moist, right? 
What's the best way to make sure it doesn't happen? Obviously, don't bale hay when damp, but what else should I do to prevent this from happening?


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

A good inculant!--See Silo King Ad to left.


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## carcajou (Jan 28, 2011)

You may want to check out the wiring, esp the lights. If there are any above or near the hay they need to be covered fixtures. Be a shame to lose a barn cause someone left lights on and there was a power surge.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Another thing, it really pays to have experienced help stacking in the barn that actually pays attention and cares as well. When I'd stack in the mow and I thought one was questionable I'd stack it on the outside to cool better, if it was really questionable I'd toss it out of the mow and we'd feed it. If I was unloading the wagon I'd never let it go up in the mow in the first place.


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## AndyH359 (Jan 3, 2012)

Virginia Cooperative Extension published a short article about hay mow fires. See the link at the end of this post. The summary from the article:

"Hay fires that usually occur within six weeks after baling are largely preventable. The risk of hay fire is significantly reduced by curing hay to less than 20 percent moisture concentration prior to baling. Hay temperature should be carefully monitored during the six weeks after baling. If the interior temperature of the hay stack is greater than 175°F, fire is imminent or present and the fire department should be called immediately. Hay temperature should stabilize six weeks after baling and monitoring can be discontinued."

Lots of information out there from Cooperative Extension offices. Just do a google search on "hay fires" and similar kinds of terms.

Good luck. I own a 110+ year old barn for my primary hay storage building. If you pay enough attention to your hay to keep from ruining your hay from mold, you won't get anywhere close enough to burn down your barn.

Hay Fire Prevention and Control - Home - Virginia Cooperative Extension


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## RockmartGA (Jun 29, 2011)

AndyH359 said:


> If you pay enough attention to your hay to keep from ruining your hay from mold, you won't get anywhere close enough to burn down your barn.


Couldn't have said it better. Proper curing/drying is the key.

Of course, there is always the chance you get a wet clump in a bale. You just have to pay attention during all phases of the baling process.


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## Texasmark (Dec 20, 2011)

I only had a problem once. When I first got this farm, I had some stellar hay ready for harvest and a thunder storm was coming. I continued baling into the night and got dew on it. That was a no-no. When I tested the temp at 145F the next day, I gutted the barn. I ruined the hay, but had no fire.

Now, especially on square bales, I don't bale after about 2PM, and don't start till after 10AM. Also when I decide it's time to bale, I do the 3 turn test.....grab a wad of hay with both hands and with the hands touching twist 3 times. If it breaks before you finish 3, bale it, if not let it cure some more.

Since my field is irregular, I use a tedder to scatter all the hay eliminating clumps that otherwise wouldn't cure properly and could certainly be a source for ignition in the barn.

Mark


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Thanks for the tips. I think a windrow moisture meter would be a good investment. Thanks for the baling tips on time of day to start/quit. 
Now I see why small bales are so much more trouble than rounds which are typically stored outside.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

mlappin said:


> Another thing, it really pays to have experienced help stacking in the barn that actually pays attention and cares as well. When I'd stack in the mow and I thought one was questionable I'd stack it on the outside to cool better, if it was really questionable I'd toss it out of the mow and we'd feed it. If I was unloading the wagon I'd never let it go up in the mow in the first place.


When you say "questionable" you mean feels heavy and wet?


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## mulberrygrovefamilyfarm (Feb 11, 2009)

First thing I would say is CALL YOUR INSURANCE AGENT! Liability insurance helps everyone sleep at night. That said, we measure moisture in the windrow before baling, and on-the-fly in-the-baler moisture monitoring, and then we probe our bales a couple of times a week for several weeks after baling on both rounds and small squares. Like mlappin, if during put-away, a bale feels "different/questionable", is heavier or feels wet or humid or even has a smeared look to it, we set them to the side and we probe them individually before they get stacked. But as everyone knows, once hay is stacked you can't reach deeply into most of the stacks to probe very many of them so we try to use our noses too. With hay, alfalfa especially, you can smell when you have a problem if you sniff around your stacks. By the time you start to smell it you need to move on it right away because in the heat of summer the temps can really take off. I once found a bale by smell that got so hot you couldn't put your hand on it and the bales around the hot bale were brown and crisp on the outside where they were touching that bale. Now it's only when we have a driver who doesn't pay attention to the moisture alarm that we see a questionable bale but it does happen.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

JD3430 said:


> When you say "questionable" you mean feels heavy and wet?


Yah, if your handling fifty pound bales all day and all of a sudden one is sixty, then it might have a wet spot. After enough experience you can tell right away when grabbing a tough one.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

So miosture meters are a no-brainer top of the list purchase?


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## mulberrygrovefamilyfarm (Feb 11, 2009)

For my operation. They're not fool proof or a silver bullet, but I wouldn't run without them now.


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