A hot end to August, paired with ramping up harvest activity, could raise the risk of crop fires across the region. Unfortunately, mischief and other crime related activity also tend to be a main contributor, as both of the mentioned scenarios nearly sparked a bad situation within the last 30 days.
Earlier this month on August 14, the Kindersley Fire Department responded to a grass fire that began along a set of railway tracks and later moved into cropland northwest of Flaxcombe. The scene at the tracks involved "multiple fire lines" along a 1 km stretch at the tracks that were getting dangerously close to jumping to crops.
The fire department's response included two wildland units that helped extinguish the fires in tough to access area. They battled the blaze and controlled the scene for four hours before all units were cleared for service.
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That blaze wasn't much a surprise despite no official cause being shared by the fire department. This time of year, a dry field can be sparked by anything from a cigarette butt to a hot exhaust.
While most try to do their part, a recent situation shared by the Biggar RCMP provided an unfortunate reminder that ill intentions can also be a factor, as the following incident was detailed in the detachment's report for the second half of August.
"On August 18th, Biggar RCMP responded to a report of a trespasser at a land location near Perdue who started a fire that risked spreading to a nearby crop. After the fire was extinguished, investigation revealed a pile of wires were burned by the male trespasser who fled the scene. He was later located and apprehended by Biggar RCMP, charged with arson and will be appearing in North Battleford court. - Biggar RCMP
Those two field fires ahead of harvest make it a good time to go over precaution and prevention techniques, and how to deal with a major blaze if it does break out.
When harvest gets busy farmers should be sure to clean their combine daily and inspect bearings to avoid any hot spots from flaring up. Keeping water nearby and having a fire break plan to build around any that break out.
Powerline safety is also important with the possibility to cause damage in addition to starting a fire. Always look up to be aware of your surroundings and be safe by lowering the necessary equipment in the yard.
Following these safety practices can help prevent any unwanted situations during an already stressful time for producers. In the case of an emergency, call 9-1-1.