A local dairy lost 30 bales of hay after a fire broke out in a barn northwest of Wayne, according to Wayne Volunteer Fire Department Chief Phil Monahan. Fire crews from Wayne responded to the call shortly before noon and eventually called for mutual aid from other area departments. Carroll and Winside departments both brought water to help in extinguishing the bales.
While no official cause has been determined, there are several risk factors when working with hay including overly-dry conditions that can make a stray cigarette or sparking piece of equipment extremely detrimental as well as baling and stacking hay when it's too wet. When baled and stacked, damp hay has the potential to spontaneously combust due to a chemical reaction that occurs. With harvest in full swing, it's important to remember the significance of extinguishing cigarettes properly and also to have regular maintenance done on vehicles and equipment to take care of any mechanical issue that may be causing sparks.
