fire safety Archives

Farm building code updates will drive insurance increases

Added costs such as fire separation areas and bracing affect replacement value

By Stew Slater March 9, 2025

Glacier FarmMedia — An unintended consequence of planned upgrades to Canada’s National Farm Building Code (NFBC) may be higher farm insurance rates. That’s because, regardless of how the insured structure is built, if destroyed it will have to be rebuilt to the new and more complex code. An Ontario member of the Canadian Farm Building […] Read more

Proper machine maintenance, cleaning and monitoring can help reduce the incidence of combine fires during harvest.

Crops, Equipment, Machinery

Take steps to prevent combine fires in sunflowers

In warm, dry, windy weather, cleaning, monitoring and maintenance become even more important

By North Dakota State University October 31, 2024

Row-crop harvest is in full swing across North Dakota, with many crops near completion. Weather conditions have been extremely warm and dry, allowing producers to harvest crops without the pressure to get the grains harvested before winter arrives. However, dry and warm conditions increase the risk of combine fires — especially when harvesting sunflowers. In […] Read more

The John Deere 535 baler that burned at the Eppich farm.

Cattleman’s Corner, Columns, Equipment, Hay

Counting one’s blessings after our baler burns

Eppich News: A baler fire is a reminder to be prepared and understand what to do in an emergency

By Heather Eppich October 24, 2024

On Sept. 5, our John Deere 535 baler went up in smoke. It is a big hit for our small operation, but we have much to be thankful for. As farmers we do dangerous things every day. Every day we are just going to go swath the wheat, or we are just going to combine, […] Read more

Higher concentrations of ground-level ozone caused by wildfires can oxidize plant tissue.

Corn, Crops, Features, Weather

How do smoky skies affect corn crops?

Obscured sunlight and poorer air quality offer benefits as well as drawbacks for the plants

By Don Norman April 30, 2024

Occasional plumes of smoke from distant wildfires may affect human comfort — but how does a smoke-obscured sun and poor air quality affect crops? “This has been a big topic of conversation where I work in the state of Indiana,” says Dan Quinn, an assistant professor of agronomy and extension corn specialist at Purdue University. […] Read more

a yellow combine covered in dusty pasty gunk

Crops, Features

Powdery mildew in 2023: a severe nuisance

At harvest, spore buildup can coat equipment, reducing visibility and creating a potential fire hazard

By Jim Timlick January 8, 2024

Ask any farmer on the Canadian Prairies which disease poses the greatest risk to their canola crops and you will likely get a list of the usual suspects that includes blackleg, sclerotinia, clubroot or verticillium stripe. One disease not likely to make that list is powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that penetrates […] Read more

This combine caught fire on the LeBlanc farm near Estevan, Sask., during harvest last September. Gracie LeBlanc, who was harvesting canola at the time, was able to safely exit the cab before it was engulfed in flames.

Equipment, News

Don’t let your combine go up in smoke

Blaze a trail on combine safety on your farm with these fire prevention tips

By Mark Halsall July 13, 2021

Farmers are always thankful for good neighbours who won’t hesitate to help when you’re in trouble. Jason LeBlanc is certainly one. Last September, he had a huge scare when a combine driven by his teenaged daughter, Gracie, caught fire while she was harvesting canola at the family’s farm near Estevan, Sask. Gracie escaped the blaze […] Read more

Our neighbour, Travis Lund, had things running smoothly on the Friday before the long weekend at Griffin, Sask.

Columns, Editor's column

Editor’s Column: A petition to move the May long weekend?

By Leeann Minogue June 10, 2019

Holding the May long weekend in the second half of May probably seems like a great idea for people in the city looking forward to a couple of days outside. And if the point of the weekend is to celebrate Queen Victoria’s birthday (May 24), I suppose having it at the end of May makes […] Read more

News, Wheat & Chaff

Alberta fire department builds community safety through outreach

By Erin Kelly March 4, 2019

It’s often said that to encourage change, you need to lead by example. And for the fire department in Alberta’s Clearwater County, it’s a premise that’s not only valued but also practised. “Whenever we get an opportunity to educate and engage with the public as a fire department, we always take it because it is […] Read more

General

Four ways to help protect your farm from fire

By Julienne Isaacs October 19, 2018

Whether it’s close to home or across an ocean, fire hasn’t been far from the news this summer. This year has been average in terms of fire risk on the Prairies, says Mike Flannigan, professor of wildland fire and the director of the western partnership for wildland fire science at the University of Alberta. But […] Read more

If grain bins are not carefully monitored for temperature, there could be a silent disaster building inside.

News

Avoid fires on grain farms

Fires are a serious farm hazard. Be prepared, and assess the risks of fire on your farm 

By Shanyn Silinski March 16, 2017

Fire is a constant hazard. From a welding fire in the shop, to a wiring fire in a piece of equipment to an ignition of grain dust in the grain dryer. Understanding the fire hazards on a farm can be overwhelming. There are just so many fuel sources, so many ways they can ignite. Fire […] Read more

Alberta crop conditions improve: report

U.S. grains: Corn sets contract lows on expectations for big US crop

U.S. livestock: Cattle strength continues

GFM Network News