Advice on farm fire and wildfire risks

With the current heatwave predicted to last, there is an increased risk of wild fires such as the ones seen in Marlow, Winter Hill and Saddleworth Moor. There is always a risk of fire on farms but high temperatures, lack of rain and harvest make the risk greater.
Here’s a reminder of the key things to be aware of:
Wildfires
If you discover a wild fire on open land, advice from the emergency services is:
- Get to a safe place. Wildfires can move quickly and in unpredictable ways.
- Go further away than you think necessary and put a natural fire break between you and the fire if possible.
- Note your location and call 999 asking for fire and rescue.
- Follow instructions from fire and rescue.
Risk assessments
All farms are required to carry out a fire risk assessment. If you employ five or more people there is a requirement to record significant findings. See the NFU Business Guide on Fire Safety.
In field
At harvest, to reduce the risk of fire:
- Ensure you have fit for purpose and checked fire extinguishers with every vehicle during harvest.
- Consider cultivating firebreaks around fields after harvest.
- Make sure machinery is chaff free, serviced and in good condition.
- Have a tractor and associated requirement ready to cut a fire break if necessary.
- Keep a full water bowser or tank nearby when harvesting.
- Regularly check and maintain open water supplies for fire fighting.
- Remind employees to be careful with cigarettes and matches while harvesting.
Hay and straw
Every year sees arson attacks involving stacks. You can reduce risk by:
- Removing hay and straw from fields as soon as possible after harvesting.
- Only baling when dry.
- Storing separately from other buildings in stacks of reasonable size away from roads and other thoroughfares.
- Keeping stacks a safe distance form overhead power cables. Guidance on safe distances is available from the HSE here.
Guidance on safe stacking is available here.
