Weather factors into haystack fires
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PABLO — A Pablo rancher lost around 120 round bales of barley hay Friday to a fire started by spontaneous combustion, according to Ronan Fire Chief Mark Clary.
The fire was reported by a Tribal Division of Fire helicopter pilot who spotted the smoke en route to Flathead River around 10:30 a.m. Friday. When the Ronan Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene, rancher John Salomon, Larry Salomon and two cousins were using tractors to pull the hay apart, but the blaze had already destroyed a large section of the haystack.
Firefighters used water and compressed air foam to squelch the flames, and Clary said they were able to save one side of the haystack. The amount of hay lost would normally feed Salomon’s herd for about 3.5 months, brother Larry estimated.
“But this was his extra money,” he added, noting that John would have sold the hay.
Larry said the hay was dry when it was baled, but heavy rain soaked the bottom of the stack, which began to rot when heated by the sun.
“(The rain will) make a mold spot or a bad spot, and they start to rot and heat up,” he explained. “It can be completely dry and the heavy rains get in there and cause all sorts of problems.”
The fire was the second large haystack fire near Ronan in just over a week, and Clary said with alternating wet weather and hot days, he wouldn’t be surprised if more popped up.
“(But) I’m hoping that’s the end of our haystack fires,” Clary said.
