Fire Safety Measures for a Smooth Harvest Season

Jun 30, 2023

Every year, incidents of combine fires during the harvest season are reported. According to a study conducted out of nearly 9,000 grain combine fires in the U.S., the majority (41.3%) were caused by crop residue. The accumulation of crop residue and dust on engines and in cracks and crevices of the combine contributes to the risk of fire. To reduce this risk, farmers should focus on three key aspects: prevention, preparation, and practicality.

Prevention:

Keep the combine clean by power washing to remove grease, oil, and crop residue. Use leaf blowers to clear chaff, leaves, and other crop materials from bearings, belts, and moving parts.

Eliminate potential heat sources such as exposed electrical wiring, worn bearings, belts, and chains. Regularly check these areas and make necessary repairs.
Use an infrared thermometer to monitor temperatures. Bearings and belts above 180 degrees Fahrenheit can cause damage, and temperatures reaching 300 degrees Fahrenheit require immediate shutdown.
Avoid parking a hot combine in sheds or shops to prevent potential flare-ups.
Inspect electrical lines for bare wires, rodent damage, rubbing, or insulation melting. Use heat-resistant insulation and consider using a chain to discharge static electricity.

Preparation:

Keep a fully charged, 10-pound ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher with UL approval in the combine cab. Have it professionally checked annually.
Mount a second, larger fire extinguisher and a shovel on the exterior of the combine, easily accessible from the ground.
Recharge partially discharged extinguishers.
Carry a cell phone for emergency communication.
Have a plan in case of fire: turn off the engine, grab the fire extinguisher and phone, exit the combine, and seek help while maintaining a safe distance.

Practicality:

Prioritize personal safety and evacuate the combine immediately in the event of a fire.
Call 911 before attempting to extinguish the fire.
Direct extinguishing materials at the base of the fire and approach with caution, as small fires can quickly escalate.
If the fire spreads in the field, consider creating a tilled strip around it as a barrier.
Remember, your safety comes first, and combines can be replaced.
In dry seasons, consider having the sprayer filled with water to create a perimeter in case of a small fire.

Be mindful of weather conditions, as the study by Thelen and team revealed that 48.5% of combine fires occurred between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., when temperatures are highest and relative humidity is lowest. As you prepare for the 2023 harvest, take preventive measures to avoid combine fires, but also be prepared and prioritize safety in case of an emergency.

For additional information on farm safety and best management practices, please visit the following link: https://www.farms.com/farm-safety/

Source : michiganagconnection

Video: Western Canadian Agriculture: Hard Times Made the World's Best Farmers

Western Canadian agriculture produced the most advanced farmers in the world not through abundance but through adversity. The crow rate fell. The wheat price went nowhere. The brown envelopes stopped.

When the subsidies disappeared, the bad farmers left and the good ones stayed. And the ones who stayed could not just grow wheat anymore. They started growing lentils and canola and peas and flax and faba beans. They built crop rotation. They got serious about agronomy because there was no government backstop. That process produced the Western Canadian agriculture Dennis Bulani describes in this clip: the most advanced, most educated farming culture in the world.

His contrast with Iowa corn and soybean farmers is sharp. At a DeKalb farmer meeting in Okoboji, Iowa, he asked what crop rotation they ran. Beans on corn stubble, corn on bean stubble. How do you fertilize? The co-op agronomist handles it. Have you considered other crops? No need. We make so much money on corn and soybeans. Western Canadian agriculture was never allowed that comfort. And now those Iowa farmers are watching soybean markets lock up with China and corn prices slide, and they do not have the agronomy knowledge or the research base to pivot. Western Canadian farmers adapted on a dime because they had done it before.

Dennis also makes the case that Western Canadian agriculture keeps adapting in real time. Low commodity prices over the past year have pushed growers to look seriously at precision spot-spray technology. He knows a neighbor who bought a sprayer with the seeing-eye system and sprayed only 80 out of 320 acres. As a chemical retailer Dennis acknowledges that will affect his sales. He supports it anyway, because if it advances Canadian agriculture and makes farmers money, that is a good outcome.

The lesson Dennis draws from the tale of two farms: continuous improvement is the only durable strategy. When canola was $22 a bushel some growers went to Arizona instead of the Crop Production Show. When the price came down those same growers came back to the research and the discipline. Products do not go on Rack Petroleum's shelves unless they pass a replicated trial first. That is what Western Canadian agriculture built through hard times: farmers who do the work whether the times demand it or not.

Dennis Bulani is CEO of Rack Petroleum and Ultimate Yield in Biggar, Saskatchewan. Dan Aberhart hosts GTF Productions, Western Canadian Agriculture's foremost live briefing platform and its foremost AI training platform for ag operators