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Sunburns Aren’t the Only Hazard of Hot Summer Weather

You wouldn’t head out to the beach or lake without applying sunscreen, right? Just like we need protection from the sun, farms need to gear up against fire hazards when temperatures spike. During hot, dry conditions, like the ones we’ve seen in Maryland the past few months, the risk of fire ignition and rapid spread escalates.

“Fortunately, most of the fires have stopped since harvest time for wheat and barley are done for the season,” says John Swaine III of Pleasant Points Farm LLC in Royal Oak and vice president of the Talbot County Farm Bureau. “Equipment when harvesting wheat and straw is flammable and due to the lack of precipitation — it’s been so dry with low humidity — sometimes it just takes a spark, and fires can spread quickly.”

One of the primary fire hazards on farms is the operation of farm machinery, such as tractors and harvesters. They can pose a significant fire threat, especially when working in dry, dusty conditions. Proper maintenance, including cleaning exhaust systems and replacing worn parts, is crucial to reducing the risk of equipment-related fires.

Hay and straw have a lot of dust accumulation and can be a source of ignition on a combine,” John says. “Combines are replaceable! People aren’t.” John adds that nowadays a combine costs upward of half a million dollars, which farmers usually cover under insurance, but they can take a year to replace.

Additionally, the buildup of dry vegetation, hay and other flammable materials can cause fires. When temperatures soar, these materials become tinder-dry, making them highly susceptible to ignition from sparks, lightning (which isn’t very common, but possible in Maryland) or even spontaneous combustion. Farmers must regularly clear away excess vegetation and properly store hay and other combustible materials to minimize fire risk.

Farmers must also be mindful of the increased fire danger posed by activities like welding, burning and the use of open flames during hot, dry spells. These tasks should be carefully planned and executed with appropriate fire prevention measures, such as having a water source nearby and ensuring that the work area is clear of flammable materials.

“Fires are nothing new, many are just weather-related,” John says. “It’s definitely had an impact this year.”

Let’s hope for a safe farming season where the only things that get toasted are marshmallows at a campfire.

Where Are They Now?
In April 2021, we talked to JR and Cathy Cosgrove’s Horsmon Farm and the devastating fire that ravaged their 60-year-old tobacco barn that served as equipment storage, straw bale storage and cattle shelter. In light of other recent fires, we followed up with them again to see how the fire has impacted them long-term.

“At the time when the community was offering to help, we didn’t know how great the loss was and how much insurance would pay out. While the barn and some equipment were covered by insurance, we couldn’t anticipate the increase of costs that was happening during COVID,” Cathy says. “Since we didn’t know how much help we would need, we directed any community help to my son since we knew what his loss was. The community was extremely generous with donations and fundraisers for him.” Son Wesley lost his International 884 tractor and his 1979 Ford F-150 truck that he was restoring with his dad.

The family has not been able to rebuild the barn. They are still in need of a structure for hay and equipment storage, as most of the insurance money was used to replace the lost equipment.

“Since the fire, we have cleaned out another tobacco barn and made a few upgrades so we can now offer a birthday party venue with our petting zoo animals,” Cathy says. “We are excited and hopeful for the potential additional income.”

Hungry for more? Learn more about preventing hay bale fires.

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Photos by Bruce Secrist, On & Off the Fire Scene