11/07/2026
Hay fire warning 🔥
A few days ago we were called out to calves caught in a farm fire, working alongside Ceredigion crews from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service. It’s been a tough few days for everyone involved, and our thoughts are with the family affected.
We’re sharing this because it’s preventable, not to alarm anyone. Hay heats itself as it dries - no spark needed - and that heat can build for weeks before it turns to fire.
Watch for:
- Steam rising from a stack, morning or evening
- A sweet, sickly smell
- Bales turning brown or tobacco-coloured
- Any bale that feels warm to the touch
If you see any of this: don’t climb or pull the stack apart - it can collapse inward and combust.
Call Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue on 0800 169 1234 for a FREE bale temperature check. If it’s already smoking or smouldering, call 999.
If your livestock are ever exposed to fire or smoke, call your vet promptly - burns and smoke inhalation can worsen for days after the event, and prompt supportive treatment is essential.
