Wayne County, and many areas to our north, were spared the full impact of the 2024 drought.  This year, we are approaching two months with little to no rain.  This has caused our crops to rapidly mature, and harvest has begun sooner than some may have expected.  With no relief in sight, the lack of rain may contribute to depressed crop yield.  Although lower than expected yields are enough to keep you up at night, the low humidity and moderate breeze dramatically increases the risk of field fires.

No one expects their combines or tractors to catch fire, and no one intentionally neglects their equipment maintenance to contribute to it catching fire.  The truth is, that today’s combines are larger than they were a couple decades ago.  They can handle a much higher harvesting capacity and speed.  Processing higher volumes of dry material, the incorporation of more hydraulic systems, and the higher engine operating temperature associated with clean air standards have created machines that have a greater chance of igniting a fire.  So, what should you do to take precaution to limit the possibility of a fire?

• Fires can occur even when you are vigilant in taking steps to prevent them.  You should have a 5 or 10lb. A-B-C fire extinguisher in the cab and another 20lb. extinguisher mounted on the exterior of the machine at group level.  It should be part of your daily equipment inspection to invert each fire extinguisher twice to make sure that equipment vibration hasn’t compacted the fire-retardant material inside.  Some will recommend adding an additional pressurized water (class A) extinguisher that can be used to cool hot bearings.
• Keep the machine clean.  Utilize a leaf blower or compressed air to blow the machine out, especially around the engine and exhaust, each day after the machine has cooled down.  If you wait until the following morning, dew can cause material to cake on the machine.
• Check engine oil, hydraulic fluid, and coolant levels at the start of each day.  Check for fluid leaks as this can accelerate the spread of fires.
• Monitor bearing temperature.  Most bearings will operate at 120 to 150 degrees.  During your morning equipment warmup, carefully open the shields and use an infrared thermometer to check bearing temperatures from a safe distance.  A bearing with a temperature higher than the rest can signal it is failing.  Any bearing operating at 300 degrees should be immediately replaced.
• Always turn the machine off and refuel in a safe location.
• Begin harvest on the downwind side of a field.  If a fire does occur, it will be more likely to spread to the harvested residue and not your standing crop.
• Have a tractor with an attached tillage tool located on site.  If a fire does breakout, you can till a fire break to limit spread within the field, or to a neighboring field.

What should you do if a fire occurs?

• If it is safe, move the machine to a safe location, away from your standing crop, and shut the machine off.
• Grab your in-cab fire extinguisher and exit the machine as quickly as possible.
• Call 9-1-1.  Before you attempt to extinguish the fire, call emergency personnel.  It can take an average of 30 minutes for 1^st responders to arrive and the quicker they can get there, the better.
• If the machine has not become fully engulfed, stay upwind of the fire to limit your exposure to flames and smoke.  Use the extinguisher to fight the fire from the blackened area on the machine and move towards the ignited area.
• Remember the P.A.S.S. principle when using a fire extinguisher.  Pull the pin, Aim the nozzle, Squeeze the trigger, and Sweep the base of the fire.
• If the machine is fully engulfed, focus your efforts on containing the fire.  Use your tillage tool to create a fire break to protect adjacent crops, vehicles, structures, and people.

Above all else, protect yourself.  The loss of equipment and crops from a fire is devasting, but they can be replaced.  You can’t be.  Harvest is stressful enough without the added pressure of an accident.  Accidents happen and can’t be entirely prevented.  It is also beneficial to have an in-field emergency plan.  It is helpful to write down what you will do in the event of a field fire.  Share your plan with your family and employees.  You should also rehearse a practice walkthrough.  This will help everyone know what their actions should be during an emergency.

We have a couple of programs coming up.  On October 18^th, we will be hosting a small ruminant field day at the OSU Small Ruminant Research Center on Fredericksburg Rd.  The program will run from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM.  We will have a mix of presentations and demonstrations covering: care of newborns, dystocia management, estrus synchronization, estimating forage yield and quality, and developing a flock nutrition program.  The program cost is $10 per person and lunch will be provided.  We ask that you register by October 16^th.  On October 21^st we will be hosting our annual Ag Lenders Seminar at Secrest Arboretum Welcome Center.  This year we will discuss:  The impacts of the “Big Beautiful Bill” on Ag, tariffs on US trade, a new building construction outlook, and a 2026 grain outlook.  As always, I hope that you have a safe and prosperous harvest season.  If you have any questions or would like to register for one of our programs, please contact me at 330-264-8722 or yost.77@osu.edu

John Yost is an extension educator IV, Agriculture and Natural Resources, at OSU Extension-Wayne County.
This article was previously published in The Daily Record.