Round Bale Hay Fires

[Ranburne]

We helped a department in an adjoining county with a round bale fire. The barn held over 400 bales of hay. The owner saw smoke coming from the barn and he started moving the hay out of the barn. When the bales got air they blazed up and he called the fire department. We watched one of the departments empty a truck load of water on 1 bale and it still blazed up as soon as they stopped applying water. The owner moved the hay into an open field and wanted to let it burn, but then he decided embers might spread to the hay still in the barn. He used his tractors to to scatter the hay and then we applied 1% class a foam solution to the hay. We extinguished about 75 bales in 1 hours time and did not have to return to the site. He still had to dispose of the damaged hay, but he did not have to worry about the remaing 325 bales. Also used less than 3000 gallons of water.

[crittermama]

I'm doing research for me, a new fulltimer in a Travel Trailer. I've heard about Hay Bales under our rigs for winter insulation. I put mine initally to transport, in thick black contrator plastic bags. Was told not to keep them under the rig, as they could heat up quicker in the sun in the black plastic and have a moisture problem from rain water, etc and could cause a fire.

Any experience with this? I did unpack them today - messy but hope it will keep me and the critters warm. Thanks for any replys.

[dave32881]

My suggestions are if there are no other exposure in danger to fire spread let it burn, Foam is another good solution but keep in mind that it's expensive if you're fighting 2,000 bales and you have to have a pretty good water supply in motion. I as an Assistant Chief would also find an alternative means of getting a backhoe or trackhoe
to pull it apart. Does your local municipality-road department ect have access to such equipment? Thanks, Dave Chief 1811.

[firefighter7160]

Ben there done that.. let it burn.. clear the area around the fire and let it burnout. our brake it up and let it burn. Theres bigger things to do.