Dry conditions have increased the risk of farm equipment fires as the fall harvest continues across Lambton County.
Lambton Federation of Agriculture President Brian Eves said the soybean harvest is nearly complete, and the yields have been mixed.
"It's going to be variable," Eves said. "It's very much dependent on how much rain was had and when that rain happened. Very, very different in as little as three and four kilometres. You may get good crops. You've got crops that are in the high 70s, to ones that are probably in the low 30s, or even under."
Eves said while the grain being harvested is dry, the crop foliage is still partially green or yellow and difficult to put through the combine.
"Late September (and) the fact that we've had so much heat in our second summer, it makes it very difficult during harvest because you plan to have that dampness come in overnight and it helps mature those plants and give us farmers a chance to move machinery, plant wheat, do the other things we do and be able to harvest again later in the day," said Eves.
"We have not had that dampness come in," he added. "It's been dry and soybean moistures typically would be in the 13 per cent area. They're down to nine or eight, so you've got a five per cent drop in the amount of yield that you'll harvest on that same crop acre because of that dryness."
In terms of corn, the maturation of crops has been fast and some fields are being harvested early.
The dry conditions prompted a reminder from the Township of Warwick Fire and Rescue Department earlier this month, to blow out combines on a regular basis.
"Over the past week there have been several combine fires in Lambton and Middlesex counties," a Facebook post read. "Please take a few moments to clean the excess dust and debris from your machines. Also make sure you have a few fire extinguishers readily available."
Eves said waiting for rain carries its own risk, it could stop the harvest for multiple days or knock down crops.
"We don't like to see any fires, but I know there's been a few, here in Lambton specifically," Eves said. "Very much related to that very excessively dry weather and just drought in general has made everything very, very, dry and susceptible to fire."
He said a lot of farmers are choosing to harvest anyway, because "it's not worth the risk of what could happen later."
"In general, we here in Lambton are probably better than some of our counterparts in more central and eastern Ontario, that have had much more drought than we've had. We don't like the dry, but we'll take it over something real wet," said Eves.
