Hotter than average June leads to tractor fires

CHESTERTOWN — It is fortunate we’ve had rain this weekend because hot and dry conditions were keeping Kent”s Volunteer Fire Companies on high-alert last month.

Besides responding to crashes, they’ve been called to fires related to agriculture-related incidents in the month of June.

June 18, Chestertown Volunteer Fire Company was dispatched to the intersection of Handy Point road and Great Oak Landing road. After being unable to connect to the farmer due to spotty phone reception, a member hurried to the scene.

He ultimately discovered the fire was near the airstrip near Handy Point Road. Trey Hill, the farmer, said his hay bales just started to burn.

Authorities suspected wheat fodder in the bales was green and uncured — quickly decomposing which led to spontaneous combustion. That can happen regularly in dry, hot conditions. The inside of a hay bale can be like an oven.

There were some water wagons, which fire officials used to contain the fire, and they used a brush truck to wet down the area.

It cut off the spread of the flame, saving the field.

The day prior was not so fortunate in that way.

Chestertown Volunteer Fire Company with others was dispatched to Broad Neck Road for a John Deere combine fire. Deputy Chief 6 Brad Rossum first arrived on the scene and found it fully burning, flames extending to the field.

He initially reported 10-15 acres involved while dry fuel and wind was feeding the fire, a major concern. The fire was burning through yet-to-be-cut wheat.

He called for brush trucks and engines. Upon arrival the engine used the water supply from a nearby pond, and together with mutual aid resources, they were able to establish a perimeter to contain the blaze.

Besides a tremendous column of smoke, the fire left 20 acres of wheat stubble burned along with two acres of unharvested wheat scorched.

Downwind with all that dry wheat, the fire could have been much worse said a resident. The wife of the owner of the combine and field, Connie Gsell commended the fire services for their quick and decisive work.

This tractor fire wasn’t an isolated incident unfortunately.

May 28, Galena Volunteer Fire Company arrived on Starkey Farm Lane to find a tractor 100% involved with minimal exposures. The fire was quickly put out by Brush 3 and Engine 3 and mutual aid units were cancelled.

There was minimal damage done but possibly a sign of what that next month would bring.

Although it seems like these tractor fires are more regularly occurring, according to CVFC Facebook post they actually seem to be happening less.

Talking to fire fighters with more than 50 years experience the firemen said what happened to the Gsells and to Hill were not uncommon back then with hot and dry conditions.

But some farmer/operators like Kenny Plummer, who spent long, exhaustive hours on the combine sees there are differences in the new tractors. He pointed out the main causes of combine fires.

He suggested there’s so many wires and gearboxes that can ignite easily. Birds are prone to build nests under the hoods. Bad bearings also lead to fires.

“I’ve run combines all my life. I keep it cleaned off every night when I’m finished for the next day,” he said, reporting he’s never had to deal with a fire.

Hopefully July will have less of these incidents. With some much needed rain it’s possible farmers and crops may get relief.

In the meantime, knowledgeable volunteer firefighters are greatly prized by the community, evident in emergency situations like these.

“We are thankful no one was hurt and for the help of the fire companies,” Gsell said.

She also thanked Atlantic Tractor for getting them going again. In a profession where everything is time-sensitive and season-dependent, that means everything.