| Fire Risk in Fields |
| 11/16/2009 |
| Farmers have been waiting all fall to be able to combine their corn and sunflowers. Now that the weather has dried out a bit, they`re able to start, but are up against another of Mother Nature`s problems. Extension Agents say there are normally about 700 to 800 combine fires every year. And sunflower farmers in North Dakota are seeing more than their fair share. While fires might be the last thing on a farmer`s mind because of how wet things were the rest of the year, it`s still a concern. "Now with the warmer drier days, the moisture in the sunflowers has dropped way down," says Burleigh County NDSU extension agent ElRoy Haadem. "And so then you`ve got low, eight, nine-percent moisture in the sunflowers, plus a lot of the stalks are breaking down because of disease or lateness of maturity.">He says most combine manufacturers recommend keeping fire extinguishers in the cab. Also, he says it`s a good idea to regularly check equipment for dust and chaff in places that could start a fire. |
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