Best Practices for Hay Fire Prevention
Hay is at high risk of self-heating, especially while in storage. Here are the key points to remember to minimize the risk of hay fire.
Table of Contents
Use Your Probes Effectively
A probe outside the haystack is useless. Place all of them inside the hay stack for effective temperature monitoring. HAYTECH probes allow you to track the temperature trends over-time. It’s the temperature curve that signals a fire risk, not a one time reading. HAYTECH probes are smart probes that measure temperature 24/7 continuously. Do not use them like manual or handheld probes.
Place the probes strategically inside storage area, giving priority to high risk hay batches, such as:
- Early cut and quickly baled hay
- Legumes
- Moist soils
- Overseeded fields
- Mixed pastures
How to Interpret Temperature Curves
A bale that exceeds 50°C (122°F) for several days remains at risk for up to 3 months. If a bale exceeded 50°C before being stored and then cooled down, it will heat up again once stored. Keep the temperature sensor probe inside, isolate the bale, sort it, and avoid placing it at the center of the stack.
Set your alerts so you’re warned before the situation becomes critical. Custom alerts are available in addition to the safety SMS when bales reach 65°C.
Key risk Factors
Dry hay at bailing does not mean stable hay. Even at ≥85% dry matter, hay continues to “sweat” after baling, which can lead to heating. High ambient humidity, under a shed, can cause fermentation, even when hay seems dry. High-sugar hay (from legumes and temporary pastures) is more prone to heating due to high biological activity. Bales that are too wet (<85% dry matter) or tightly packed will heat up faster.