Fires during harvest season are very common and can be caused by a variety of factors.  Though all fires are devastating, fires in the fall have the additional potential of ruining an expensive harvester, burning off a crop that is at full maturity and costly delays to get back to the field.  Some of the most common causes of fires during the harvest season include: 

• Oil and grease mixed with flammable crop residue that has built up around hot engine parts.
• Sparks from exhaust of harvesters, trucks and ATV’s in the field.
• Dry, worn bearings and equipment malfunctions that overheat or cause sparks.
• Hitting rocks or other objects in the field that causes a spark.
• Doing maintenance such as welding, cutting or drilling in a field with dry residue.

During harvest, you have a huge amount of work to do within a very short window of time. Put yourself in the best position possible for a safe harvest season by being prepared. Here are some safety tips to think about before harvest and field operations.