General News
14 May, 2026
Combustion ignites
A FARMER has been left with no choice but to dust himself off and keep going after his hay shed went up in flames on Sunday.
Paul Riches, the owner of the farm based in The Sisters, said a worker had alerted him to the blaze in the early hours of Sunday morning.
“It was 6.50am we first got wind that it was burning but before that we had no idea,” he said.
“It was well alight by the time we found out and by that time it was no longer saveable.
“It was just sort of contain it and let it burn out itself.”
There was an immediate response from Country Fire Authority (CFA) brigades across the district, but the fire was well alight by the time it was discovered.
The blaze generated enough heat to wrap the hay shed, in addition to a ute and feeder also stored within the shed.
“When we found it, it was fully lit, and it’s been smouldering for a couple of days,” Mr Riches said.
“There was a ute, a pellet feeder, 200 grass pasture rolls and about 600-700 bales of vetch.
“We’ve put the costs, with the shed included, at over half-a-million-dollars.”
Mr Riches said replenishing stock would prove almost impossible at this stage, and any efforts would undoubtedly require a higher investment.
“It’s a major impact on feed,” he said.
“To source that vetch now, the price has gone up over $150-a-tonne since we purchased it.
“You just won’t find it anymore so we’ll have to source other supplies of feed for the winter.”
Combustion occurs when moisture within baled hay leads to microbial activity, which can cause a chemical reaction generating extreme heat.
It is the leading cause of haystack fires, with the CFA warning there has been more than 30 haystack fires linked to combustion since the beginning of summer.
“It’s just part and parcel of it,” Mr Riches said.
“It only takes one bad bale and that’s what happens.”
Mr Riches said he was appreciative of the CFA members who responded to the blaze, which was contained to the original site with no further spread.
“We’re thankful to The Sisters Fire Brigade and everyone else who turned out,” he said.
“I think it was Panmure, Ellerslie, Kolora, Bookaar and Mortlake who all turned out.
“All the CFA who turned out did a marvellous job – great job all around.”
Despite the widespread damage, Mr Riches said it was the nature of the business – when the worst happens, there is no choice but to push ahead as best as possible.
“You just get up and keep going,” he said.
“The clean up is the next thing.
“We had assessors doing the insurance for us on Tuesday before we start the process of pulling it all down and disposing of it.
“We just clean it up – it’s more of an inconvenience at this time of year.
“It’s inconvenient any time, but now it puts a hole in the hip pocket.”
