Flames: A second haystack fire in the early hours of Tuesday, November 23 on Echuca-Mitiamo Rd.
Teamwork: CFA crews from across the Campaspe Shire worked to bring a haystack fire under control on Sunday.
Thousands of hay bales have been lost after multiple stacks went up in flames, with CFA crews attending a Bamawm property three times in as many days.
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The first haystack caught fire just before noon on Sunday, November 21, at the Echuca-Mitiamo Rd property, and was attended by crews from Rochester, Lockington, Bamawm Extension, Kotta, Echuca and Torrumbarry, who spent two hours bringing the fire under control.
The blaze is believed to have been caused by spontaneous ignition.
Bamawm Extension CFA captain George Calleja said it was believed ashes or materials from that fire got into other bales that had been moved away, leading to two other haystacks going up in flames about 1am on Tuesday, November 23.
When CFA crews arrived, two large sheds filled with hay were well alight, and subsequently destroyed, while a third, smaller stack was able to be saved.
A third callout about noon on Tuesday was due to some burnt hay collapsing on two pallets of baling string, causing thick black smoke.
Mr Calleja said roughly 4000 to 4500 bales of hay were burnt in total.
Echuca CFA captain Rob Amos said the burnt stacks would smoulder and smoke and would be seen from a distance for the following few days.
He said spontaneous ignition was the leading cause of haystack fire in Victoria, with just one damp bale enough to ignite a haystack.
“Green, or damp, hay encourages elements such as bacteria and fungi to grow and decompose,” he said.
“A series of complex biological and chemical reactions can then cause a build-up that allows hay to heat. This can produce flammable gasses, which may ignite.
“Haystack fires are also caused by sparks from machinery and equipment, and embers from burn-offs or bushfires, and the CFA urges every farmer to go to the CFA website and check out best-practice advice for protecting farms and haystacks.”
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