That harvest season comes around the same time as bushfire season is nothing short of ironic. Every summer, there is a potential for harvest fires occurring as a result of headers bursting into flames. Thankfully, there are a number of things you can do to get on top of the situation before it gets on top of you, including utilising farm fire fighting units.
Below are a few things to bear in mind.
Poor hygiene can be blamed for harvesters catching fire. According to previous news, 1,000 harvesters catch fire every year. One percent of which (an average of 12 harvesters according to research), worth approximately $500,000 each, completely burn down to the ground.
You might think 1% is insignificant but remember that fire doesn’t wait to fully consume a harvester before it can start feasting on crops and spread to neighbouring paddocks.
So what do you do?
Dust build-up is a huge fire risk. Flammable material accumulating on heat-producing components of your harvester (i.e. engine bay, belts, chains, exhaust system, etc.) can ignite, so keep them clean and dust free. Dust, like the ones from crops that are affected by fungal disease are said to be particularly problematic, highly flammable, and the primary cause of header fires.
Consistently check areas where dust naturally builds up. Consider using heat-resistant paint on hot parts like turbo chargers and exhaust manifolds. This allows for a smoother surface that prevents dust from accumulating. Blow down your machine regularly or whenever the chaser bin is full—more often (every 30 minutes), if your machine doesn’t have an automated engine blowdown system.
Be extra meticulous about your harvester’s hygiene during windy, hot, and dry days.
Hot weather equals extremely hot engine. This, in combination with flammable dust material from your crops, could turn out to be the perfect recipe to start a flame. High fire-risk days are described to be low humidity with high wind speed and vulnerable plant/crop state.
Also, bear in mind to keep bearings and other gears lubricated properly to prevent too much heat build-up.
DO:
DON’T:
Repair or replace worn-out wirings promptly as these could ignite in the presence of dust and vapours.
This device is a whole lot cheaper than suffering the consequences of fire and enables you to check for hot parts while maintaining a safe distance.
Do you have greasy/oily rags lying around? Keep them covered in metal containers to prevent spontaneous combustion. Look for signs of fluids leaking and repair promptly if any.
Investing in a fire fighting unit is highly recommended by agricultural engineers. Whenever your harvester catches fire, you need to take quick action to mitigate it. There’s no quicker way to do that than with a reliable portable fire fighting unit on standby. These portable fire fighting units are also easy to move across different paddocks and convenient for fast fill-ups from different locations.
Murphy’s law states that, “if you give things a chance to go wrong, they will." So don’t give preventable causes of fire (like dust on headers) a chance!