A massive pile of hay is burning on the Broken O Ranch between between Simms and Augusta.
According to Fairfield Assistant Fire Chief Nick Dale, the fire was reported at around 5:30 a.m. The fire jumped to a nearby ridge, but firefighters were able to contain it before it burned much land. Gusty winds have made containment difficult.
He estimated the amount of hay burning to be in the hundreds of tons and said it would likely burn for at least 24 hours. "There’s probably about a quarter of a mile unburnt between the two fires,” Dale said.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t much firefighters could do to the pile of hay Thursday: “Let it burn and contain it. We don’t have enough water to put this out,” said Dale. "You could drop it in the ocean and it’d still burn.”
He reminds people not to have fuels around, for example tall grass, when working with hay and to keep a water truck handy.
Ranch workers chopping the hay is believed to have started the fire.
There have been no injuries, and no structures have been reported to be damaged.
