Dealing with a fire on your farm can be both dangerous and devastating. Fortunately, there are things you can do to reduce the risk of fires.
Improper use of burn barrels can easily start fires. People often contribute to the risk of fire by not using proper screens on burn barrels or clearing the grass around the barrel itself.
“The burn barrel could be sitting on dry grass and end up catching grass on fire,” said David LeBlanc, Fire Chief and Director of Protective Services with Northern Sunrise County. “We’ve had someone lose a shed here and there in the past from that,” said LeBlanc.
Janice Boden, Manager of Agricultural Services for the Municipal District of Bonnyville, said burn barrels in the municipal district require a fire permit between March 1 and October 31. There is no charge for the permit, and residents in the area can call the MD to request one.
In an email, Boden said farmers should never use burn barrels in high winds or in the heat of day. They should also have water readily available and not leave burn barrels unattended. Burning should be done at night, if possible.
LeBlanc and members of his team investigated farmyards in 2023 and found people storing burn piles all over the place. Often people check their burn piles early in the spring, and then the wind kicks up and the burn pile dries out. The burn pile then rekindles and starts a fire, he said.
“We had one person lose a large garage, a farm garage, to the burn pile that had rekindled and travelled to the dry grass. It then burnt the structure down,” he said.
Burn barrels can easily start a grass fire on the farm. To help prevent the heat from the barrel from igniting an unwanted fire, keep the grass around the barrel cut short and dampen the area around the barrel to keep sparks from igniting dry grass. PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: FIRE CHIEF DAVID LEBLANC
Some larger root piles will burn deep in the ground and smolder underneath.
“You can’t really tell, and then when the nice, hot sun dries everything out and the wind picks it up in the spring, it just basically fans the underneath, and it rekindles.”
Northern Sunrise County has a thermal camera and thermal drone to check for hot spots in the yard prior to drying it out, said LeBlanc.
Boden said farmers can make their yards more fire-safe by removing brush, weeds and tall grass around buildings and structures to reduce the risk of fire spreading through the trees. Reducing flammable material on the property is another important step in preventing large fires. Some farmers have dried-out pallets on their land, and these can also pose a fire hazard.
LeBlanc said ember showers can be picked up in the wind and create spot fires around a farm. That’s why it can make a huge difference to keep piles of wood away from the house and ensure eavestroughs are free of debris.
“We see a lot of dry pine needles in eavestroughs,” he said.
Northern Sunrise County uses the FireSmart program and has a handout to help farmers protect themselves.
It’s important to keep baled hay or feed away from important structures. LeBlanc recommended clearing clutter from the yard and keeping the grass short around all buildings. Fire extinguishers should be kept in buildings around a farm, and all family members and employees should know how to use them.
Storing chemicals properly can also prevent fires.
“If you’re dealing with different types of mixed fertilizers and chemicals, make sure it’s in a well-ventilated area. Some of these can be quite flammable,” he said.
Spills should be cleaned up immediately.
“We’ve had a fairly large structure fire from a cutter that sparks and ignited into the hay,” he said. The welding happened right beside the barn, which was storing dry hay for cattle.
“We’ve had people who are welding, and they don’t realize, because they have a mask on, that sparks are catching the grass on fire behind them,” he said.
The risk of fire during welding can be prevented if the area is wet down before starting the project.
About once a year, machinery will catch fire in a field, said LeBlanc. This can happen because the machine strikes a rock, or because the machine is improperly maintained.
“The bearings are heating up and igniting when you’re cutting, when you’re harvesting in the fall. There’s like this fine, fine dust that’s left and blowing around the air. It’s easily ignited so we get some of those fires,” he said.
He said it’s a good idea to grease up and oil all equipment. A best management practice is to refuel all equipment outdoors and turn off all machinery before refuelling.
Machinery should be kept clear of dust and debris, especially around the engine and exhaust system.
LeBlanc recommended farmers identify all exits and evacuation routes on their farms and ensure all family members and employees are familiar with these routes. It’s a great idea to have a plan to house livestock in the event of an evacuation. Farmers should have a comprehensive identification list of all the animals on the farm, including health details and physical characteristics.
Most farmers can store water on their farm, and they should make sure water is available if they are engaging in an activity that heighten the risk of fire.
Another strategy that can help prevent field fires is harrowing and tilling from the edge of the field from the road into a couple of rows.
“If there was ever a spot fire that jumped the road into the field, it would stay in the field and not go any further. It would hit that tilled up dirt and keep it out of the bush line,” said LeBlanc.
Gateways through fences need to be at least 3.5 metres wide for fire department vehicles to access.
The Municipal District of Bonnyville’s webpage has a workbook for farms and acreages that can be downloaded from the website. The workbook can help farmers initiate dialogue with key agencies in advance of wildfire season and can help farmers identify and protect their operations.
If a fire gets out of hand, Boden said farmers should contact the fire department and get themselves and their family to a safe location. There should be a plan to relocate any animals on the property and if that is not possible, fences should be cut so animals can escape the fire.