[AT] yes, it may catch on fire.

[Steve W.]

charliehill wrote:
> Some farmer friends of mine, right down the road a couple of miles,
> lost a large open shed, a Gleaner combine, 2 tractors, some
> relatively expensive equipment and a few hundred bales of wheat straw
> to a spontaneous combustion fire when the straw "took heat" and
> caught fire.  The fire house is 2 miles away and another station is
> about 3 miles the other way.  They couldn't put it out before
> everything was a total loss.
> 
> Charlie


Barn fires caused by burning hay are a unique situation. Usually you
cannot get into the actual seat of the fire with enough water to knock
it down. The problem is the heat is deep in the bales and you have to
dig to get to it.

Silos are another treat. Harvestore units are simple. If they start
burning you seal them up! The older concrete ones are no fun at all. You
 spray the outside IF the fire is away from the concrete. Then climb up
the outside with a hose and toss it through the fill hole while they
spray you with water to keep you cool when you pass the fire zone. Then
you dump LOTS of water and pray that it can stop the fire. Next comes
the overhaul part. NO FUN...

The biggest problem with barn fires regardless of location is usually
lack of water. Normally barns are rural construction with no hydrants
nearby and you need lot's of tankers full of water to put them out.

Our current SOP is that if we get there and the fire is venting and in
free burn we just protect the exposures and throw water on it enough to
limit the heat produced. Then we usually just let it burn out. By the
time it's venting the barn is not salvageable anyway.


-- 
Steve W.
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