CENTRAL ILLINOIS – Farmers are being encouraged to take steps to avoid field fires during dry and breezy weather conditions.
There is an elevated fire risk for Central Illinois due to an abnormally dry month and windy conditions through Friday. The area has been in a 4.5-inch rainfall deficit since the beginning of September.
Peoria County Farm Bureau Manager Charlie Hensley tells 25 News, people should avoid burning outside because current conditions make field fires more likely to occur.
“I think over the next few weeks, there’s always a chance that we could see more,” Hensley says.
He says field fires can be caused by several things, like dry leaves or crop residue sparking inside or near hot machinery, like a combine. Soybean dust is especially flammable.
Hensley recommends all machinery to have at least one or two up-to-date fire extinguishers, and says farmers should clean their combine after it has cooled down.
“At the end of a day when you’re done harvesting, take a quick 10-minute break and take a leaf blower and just go around the combine and just blow the combine off,” Hensley says.
Logan-Trivoli Fire Protection District Chief David Tuttle says field fires can spread across acres quickly, so it’s important to call 911 as soon as possible to manage the flames.
“Most of the time, it’s in a pretty rural area so it’s going to take the fire department a little bit to get there,” Tuttle says. “Standing cornfield fires can be difficult to put out and require multiple departments.”
Hensley says fires can be devastating to expensive machinery, but a person’s safety takes top priority.
“We can replace equipment, but we can’t replace people,” Hensley says. “Be aware of your surroundings and if it’s out of control just get out of there.”
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