MINTO – Minto Fire’s Clifford and Harriston stations responded to a field fire near Highway 89 and 10th Line in Minto around 3:15pm on August 6.
Fire chief Chris Harrow told the Community News the fire started as a farmer was baling straw.
“The baler had a malfunction,” Harrow said.
“The baler caught fire, and so did the field.”
Harrow said firefighters from Minto’s Fire’s stations in Harriston and Clifford showed up on the scene and quickly put out the fire.
Wellington North’s fire department also sent a tanker, which was eventually called off after it was determined it would not be needed.
“The fire department was able to get there quickly and was able to stop the fire from spreading any further,” Harrow said.
Harrow also said the farmer was able to pull the baler out into an adjacent hay field as it was on fire, preventing more serious fire damage in the field.
“If it wasn’t for the quick thinking of the farmer, things could have been worse,” he said.
Harrow added that the baler will be a “write off” as it was seriously damaged by the malfunction.
The cost of the damage to the baler is pending.
