Farmers and contractors need to be on high alert this weekend because of the increased fire risk that has arisen from the exceptionally high temperatures. Temperatures in the high 20s are unusual for Irish grass harvesting. They present a higher than normal risk of fire to harvesting machines, especially balers and self-propelled silage harvesters.
In these conditions, the machines with high levels of dry grass in and around their mechanisms are a potential fire ball. A simple metal to metal contact area on the machine can be enough to create a spark that will give an instant fire.
Machines should be cleaned down regularly with a compressed air system or simply brushed clean to remove any excess grass. A small compressor will be adequate in many situations.
Keep fire extinguishers close at hand and make sure that they are in working order. And if you use one, get a replacement before you restart work. While most machines are insured against fire, you need to take extra care this week. Farmers and contractors throughout central Europe are more used to these harvesting conditions and pay particular attention to removing crop residue from their machines on a regular basis during the day. Irish operators will have to consider regular machine cleaning to minimise the fire risk.
(Source – Irish Farmer’s Journal – Michael Moroney – 13/07/2013)
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