Farm Safety & Emergency Preparedness
Hay Storage Fire Prevention Guide
A hay storage fire prevention guide with ordered steps for monitoring bale moisture, heat, stacking, and spacing so stored hay does not heat and ignite.
Download free PDF1 page, US Letter, prints clean in black and white
GuideFarm Safety & Emergency PreparednessFree PDF
The steps on this page
- Cure hay before storing
- Check moisture with a probe
- Stack with air space
- Store away from other buildings
- Watch for odor or steam
- Monitor stack temperature
- Know what to do if heat rises
- Call the fire department early
- Record checks in a notebook
How to use this guide
Read the steps once through before you start, then keep the page nearby while you work. Use the notes lines to add what your own setup needs.
Where to check the details
This sheet is a general template, so confirm specifics with your own manuals, labels and local rules. For current official guidance, start with eXtension and Ready.gov.
For more in this area, see the farm safety guides. Between chores, farm.FM has farm humor, including Let’s Hit the Hay, and farming farm stories.