Farmer News
1 November, 2025
Take care when storing hay
WITH pasture and crops now predominant across much of regional Victoria’s farming communities, the CFA has issued a timely warning to farmers.
Farmers are being urged to take extra caution when cutting, baling and storing hay this harvest season, with haystack fires a continual concern.
With rainfall deficiencies starting to emerge across parts of the state, and spring rainfall (so far) falling short of expectations, all farmers are being urged to take care of their hay and crops this bushfire season.
Fodder conservation and storage is a vital and valuable component of the year-round farming operations.
It’s important for farmers to ensure haystacks are prepared well and bales are able to be stored safely.
Haystacks pose a fire danger which could occupy crucial firefighting resources during Victoria’s bushfire season.
When a haystack ignites, depending on the size of the stack, it can remain burning and smoulder over a long period and CFA crews are often required to monitor it for several days to make sure it doesn’t spread.
Haystack fires can start quite easily from lightning strikes and sparks from equipment and machinery, but a major source of ignition is spontaneous combustion of the hay bales themselves.
Spontaneous combustion can occur when hay has either not properly dried before baling, or has been exposed to rain or damp conditions, meaning moisture content in the bales is higher than the recommended levels.
This can happen to any hay bales, regardless of size.
After baling, farmers are encouraged to check the heat and smell of the bales before stacking them into haysheds or large external stacks, and leave any suspect bales separate from the rest.
Hot bales will often omit an odour like burning tobacco, and heat inside bales can be detected by inserting a steel rod or crowbar into the centre of a bale or stack of hay.
Some important tips for farmers include:
it is important to ensure hay is well cured before bailing;
know the history of the hay you purchase;
keep haystacks to a limited size;
monitor moisture and temperature of your hay regularly;
watch for unusual odours such as pipe tobacco, caramel, burning or musty smells;
store hay in separate stacks or sheds away from farm equipment and other buildings;
keep your hay dry. Protect it from rain, leaking rooves or spouts, and runoff. Cover stacks with tarps or hay caps; and
don’t stack hay right to the top of a hay shed. Allow some air to circulate at the top - this helps to carry away moisture.