Our part of the world hasn't seen any substantial rain for quite some time now, which is perfect for farmers who want their crops to dry out. But it's also perfect for something much more devastating.

Yesterday afternoon, the Craik Volunteer Fire Department responded to a large wildfire in a mature barley field.

Local farmers also assisted with extra water and discs which they used to smother the flames.

The Davidson Volunteer Fire Department also arrived at the scene and the blaze was fully contained after a 3-hour long battle.

How do farmers take precautions to manage these kinds of incidents?   Cathie Bassett, public education officer with the Moose Jaw Fire Department says being prepared is key.

"Fire can double its size in less than a minute. Burning embers blowing downwind can spread a fire well beyond the control of your fire extinguisher in just seconds, but we do encourage you to have at least two ABC type fire extinguishers," she said.

Bassett offered the following tips when it comes to preventing harvest time fires.

  1. Make sure your machinery is in good working order. Clean around the engine compartments, fuel sources or any exhaust using a high-pressure washer or compressed air to remove caked oil grease and crop residue. The best time to do it is at the end of the day when everything is dry.
  2. Keep all bearings and gears well lubricated to prevent heat build-up and keep lubricants at the proper levels by checking the coolant and oil levels daily. Also, check all hoses to make sure there are no leaks.
  3. Have at least two ABC fire extinguishers, a small 10 lbs. unit in the cab and a larger 20 lbs. unit at ground level. Invert and shake the extinguishers once or twice each year to ensure machine vibrations don't compact the powder inside. Also, if you have a water truck in your fleet, have it nearby.
  4. Have a tractor hooked up to a disc near the field you are harvesting, but away from any potential field fires and have a shovel on hand to throw dirt on to the fire.
  5. If a fire does break out, call 9-1-1 and attack it with fire extinguishers if it is safe to do so. Create a list of addresses for each field location and have them easily accessible.

Bassett said many of these tips are common sense but can be easily forgotten.

"With the long hours and rush to get harvest done, sometimes these are forgotten. Keep in mind that personal safety is, of course, more important than property loss."