Combine Fire Prevention

Amy Timmerman, Extension Educator Author

11/14/2022 Added

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Harvest season is in full swing, and we have been blessed with some rain, however conditions are still dry and conducive for fires. In this week’s extension update, we will discuss steps to prevent combine fires, precautionary steps to take and what to do when a fire occurs.

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[00:00:00.270]This is Amy Timmerman with this week’s
[00:00:02.780]Extension update
[00:00:03.830]Harvest season is in full swing, and we have been blessed with some rain,
[00:00:07.510]however conditions are still dry and conducive for fires.
[00:00:11.191]In this week’s extension update, we will discuss steps to
[00:00:13.926]prevent combine fires, precautionary steps to take
[00:00:16.838]and what to do when a fire occurs.
[00:00:19.269]So, how to prevent combine fires
[00:00:21.216]1. Keep combines clean–majority of fires start around the engine,
[00:00:26.094]turbo charger and exhaust system.
[00:00:28.201]Thus, manufacturers recommend cleaning the machine
[00:00:30.628]after shutting down at the end of every day.
[00:00:32.838]Paying close attention to remove accumulated crop residue.
[00:00:35.742]Battery or gas-powered leaf blowers are great tools to provide
[00:00:39.221]high quantities of air to move debris off the machine while out in the field.
[00:00:43.591]Also consider periodically power washing to remove grease and oil,
[00:00:46.845]which can allow a small fire to spread quickly.
[00:00:49.900]2. Don’t Park equipment near flashy fuels
[00:00:52.807]Let combines cool down before parking them
[00:00:55.276]inside a machine shed after harvesting all day.
[00:00:57.965]If parked out in the field, try to park on a fire-resistant surface.
[00:01:01.627]Sparks and malfunctions can occur at any time
[00:01:04.631]and crop debris can continue to smolder
[00:01:07.248]if the machine is not cleaned at the end of the day.
[00:01:10.053]3. Reduce combine engine load
[00:01:12.847]– increasing harvest speed and putting combine engines
[00:01:15.829]under a lot of stress increases the chances of fire.
[00:01:19.061]When possible, reduce harvest speed and reduce engine stress
[00:01:22.960]And finally 4. Keep bearings cool
[00:01:25.855]Check bearings daily looking for wear and tear.
[00:01:28.960]If you own infrared thermometer, check bearings once the machine has warmed up.
[00:01:33.420]Bearings will typically run between 125-150 F.
[00:01:37.630]Once bearing are reaching temperatures around 180 F, damage can occur.
[00:01:43.198]If bearing temperatures reach above 300 F, shut the machine off immediately.
[00:01:48.819]Being prepared is one of the big keys to prevent a major disaster.
[00:01:52.759]Here is some other precautionary steps you may also want to take.
[00:01:56.519]1. When starting to harvest a field, consider starting on the downwind side of the field.
[00:02:01.339]This way if a fire does occur, the flames will be pushed toward the harvested portion of the field.
[00:02:07.139]2. Always carry a cell phone or alternative for communicating with others in case of a fire.
[00:02:13.244]3. Carry a minimum of one 10 lb ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher stored in or near the cab of the combine.
[00:02:21.517]When you are using a fire extinguisher remember PASS - P - Pull the Pin
[00:02:26.073]A - Aim the nozzle; S - Squeeze the trigger; and finally S - Sweep across the base of the fire.
[00:02:33.481]During the harvest season, invert and shake the extinguisher once or twice to prevent
[00:02:37.992]machine vibration from consolidating the dry chemicals at the bottom of the canister.
[00:02:43.790]4. Know the location of the field in relationship to letter or number on county roads
[00:02:49.255]5. Have a tractor hooked to a disk near the field you are harvesting
[00:02:53.521]and 6. Have a large water tank with water near the field.
[00:02:57.687]Now, we can do all these precautionary steps and fires can still occur.
[00:03:01.451]So what do we do once a fire has started?
[00:03:04.443]1. Immediately pull the machine, if possible,
[00:03:07.441]into adjacent areas that have already been harvested.
[00:03:10.821]2. Turn the machine off.
[00:03:12.232]The air intake systems and fans keep providing oxygen
[00:03:15.656]to the flames if machine continues working.
[00:03:20.152]3. Call 911 before trying to extinguish the fire yourself.
[00:03:24.376]Depending on location,it may take 30 minutes or longer before the
[00:03:27.633]fire department can reach the scene.
[00:03:30.067]Adrenaline is flowing but provide dispatch with as much detail
[00:03:33.469]regarding your location as possible.
[00:03:36.249]Include county road names and numbers or precise description such as
[00:03:40.690]5 miles east and 4 mile north of Farmer Brown’s house.
[00:03:44.695]The advantage of our volunteer fire departments is their knowledge of
[00:03:47.900]where people live in the area.
[00:03:50.366]However, it does occur every year that a department will get a called out a fire
[00:03:54.634]and told that it is located “northeast of town” and the department must
[00:03:58.558]look for the smoke to locate the fire delaying their response time.
[00:04:03.190]4. Use the fire extinguisher if you can easily reach the fire.
[00:04:07.618]Do not climb onto burning machinery to put it out.
[00:04:10.575]It is not worth the risk of the loss of your life or sever injury to save the machine.
[00:04:16.049]And Finally 5. If a combine is beyond control,
[00:04:19.314]focus on keeping it from spreading to the surrounding vegetation by either putting
[00:04:23.401]a disc line around it or wetting down the surrounding area.
[00:04:26.709]Even with all the machine maintenance, sanitation, preparedness and awareness,
[00:04:30.416]fires can still occur.
[00:04:32.703]However, these steps will help to prevent a major disaster from occurring and help
[00:04:36.834]reduce the total amount of loss experienced.
[00:04:40.144]If you have questions regarding fire awareness and preparedness
[00:04:43.697]please reach out to your contact your local fire department or your local
[00:04:46.477]extension educator for more information.
[00:04:49.558]This has been Amy Timmerman with Nebraska Extension.

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