Ponoka County firefighters dealt with two baler fires in 12 hours.

Members of the Ponoka County West District Fire Department were called to a baler fire just west of Gull Lake on Oct. 18. It was the second fire in 12 hours with the first being north of Bluffton the night before, explained Dennis Jones, director of emergency services for the county.

With the majority of crops still in the ground and farmers working in full force to harvest the land due to warm weather, the risk of equipment overheating is even greater.

Jones advises if a fire does occur on equipment to shut it off right away and disconnect the tractor and then to call 911. In this case, about one-acre was burnt.

Jones said that farmers were able to get ahead of the flames to prevent them from spreading until the fire department could arrive.

On Friday, the East District department also dealt with a baler fire north of Ponoka near Menaik Road.

jeff.heyden-kaye@ponokanews.com
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