Hay bales spontaneously combusted at Victory Farms on Monday, July 17. According to Milbank Fire Chief Kevin Schuelke, windy conditions caused the fire to... Fires Ignite at Victory Farms

Hay bales spontaneously combusted at Victory Farms on Monday, July 17. According to Milbank Fire Chief Kevin Schuelke, windy conditions caused the fire to spread to a silage pile and other bales. “Because of the dry, windy conditions and the square footage the bales covered, we had to use the ladder truck to reach above the fire,” Schuelke said. Shuttle tankers from the Revillo and Big Stone fire departments assisted.

This was the third call the Milbank Fire and Rescue Department made to Victory Farms. The first call came at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, July 14. When firefighters arrived on the scene, they found a stack of 300 to 400 hay bales smoldering. The firefighters employed water and foam to extinguish the bales while the staff of Victory Farms used farm equipment to break up the stack and move bales. Approximately 80 bales were destroyed. The bales reignited on Saturday, July 15, and the department was called back to the scene.

Click here to see photos from the fires.

Staff Writer

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