FARMERS are being asked to keep a close eye on their hay and straw bales to ensure they don't overheat.
The advice came from Tavistock's community fire officer, Tim Smith, following a second barn blaze in a week. 'Please be vigilant and if bales are becoming overheated, break them down,' he said.
The latest fire, at Tredown Farm, Bradstone, Milton Abbot, came exactly a week after a similar fire at Chillaton. Having started in a barn in the early hours, by the time it was discovered and two appliances from Tavistock arrived, the roof of the wooden barn had already collapsed.
Chris Neale, Tavistock fire chief, said 150 tonnes of hay were lost, together with a number of implements. Two back-up appliances from Launceston also attended initially, but the decision was taken to allow the fire to burn itself out.
The Bere Alston crew relieved Tavistock around noon, by which time the fire was under control, and they left at 7pm.
The arson detector dog found no evidence of foul play, despite the fact that the fire started at exactly the same time as the one the previous week, and spontaneous combustion is stated as the cause.