Penn State Ag Sciences Newsline -- August 4, 2009
Wet spring increases risk of barn fires caused by hot, moist hay (:49)
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Suggested Intro:
THIS YEAR'S UNUSUALLY WET WEATHER HAS PUSHED MANY FARMERS TO STORE HAY THAT'S WETTER THAN NORMAL. AN EXPERT IN PENN STATE'S COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES SAYS THAT COULD INCREASE THE DANGER OF BARN FIRES. THE STORY FROM GARY ABDULLAH:
Story:
(:15) MOISTURE CAUSES HAY TO GENERATE HEAT AS IT CURES, SO FARMERS NORMALLY WON'T BALE HAY UNTIL IT'S DRIED TO 20 PERCENT MOISTURE OR LESS. PENN STATE AGRICULTURAL ENGINEER DAVIS HILL SAYS SOME FARMERS HAD TO BALE THEIR HAY AT 25 PERCENT OR HIGHER, SETTING THE STAGE FOR BALES THAT CAN BURST INTO FLAME:
Hill Actuality:
(:18) "GENERALLY, WE SAY TWO TO THREE WEEKS THAT HAY IS CURING -- AND IT'LL START HEATING IMMEDIATELY. SO FARMERS NEED TO BE DILIGENT. BUT GENERALLY, WHERE WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THE BARNFIRES IS… TWO TO THREE WEEKS AFTER THE HAY HAS BEEN PUT INTO THE BARN, THE MATERIAL HAS HEATED ENOUGH TO CAUSE A SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION."(:15) AN INTERIOR TEMPERATURE BETWEEN 150 AND 174 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT IS THE DANGER ZONE. SO FARMERS AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS SHOULD BE VIGILANT TO REMOVE BALES BEFORE THEY GET TOO HOT -- ESPECIALLY AS WE ENTER THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER. FROM PENN STATE, I'M GARY ABDULLAH.
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