A fire that spontaneously ignited in an enormous pile of almond husks at a Riverland almond processing facility has put firefighters and farmers on alert for the phenomenon, which can also be the cause of costly fires in hay storage.
The fire started in a pile of husks — measuring 35 metres long and 9 metres high — at Almondco's Pike River processing facility and has been burning for more than three days.
Smoke from the blaze has reached Loxton and neighbouring properties.
A truck and loader were destroyed, leaving an estimated damage bill of at least $180,000.
Thirty-five firefighters from the CFS and MFS spent Sunday bringing the blaze under control, which they said had started smouldering on Saturday but was thought to have been extinguished.
The fire has prompted the CFS to warn local property owners to prepare now for the upcoming bushfire season.
"We're in a position where potentially if we don't get our spring rain, we could certainly be in another very challenging environment," Region Three regional prevention officer Chris Bastian said.
Spontaneous combustion phenomenon
Haystacks can also self-ignite, at a big cost to farmers and firefighting resources.
It occurs when moisture in plant material allows microorganisms to grow, generating heat, and it can even start in a single hay bale.
CFS says property owners should take these steps to reduce the risk of spontaneous ignition, which include ensuring the hay is fully cured (dry and dead) and is monitored regularly.
CFS Chaffey Group officer Adrian Wright said left unchecked the almond husk fire would continue to smoulder for months.
Instead Almondco staff will work to dismantle the mounds of almond husks, which are used as stock feed.
"If they were just monitored and hosed down with the embers on the surface it would probably take months," he said.
"At the moment I would guess it would take two weeks to level out the heaps that have the burning husks in them."
Neighbour's smoke concerns
Smoke from the Almondco fire has concerned neighbouring property owner Darren Letton, who operates Glenview Poultry Farm.
"Being such close neighbours ... if the wind turns it will blow the smoke over our chooks," said Mr Letton, who farms 28,000 chickens.
He said in the 50 years that he had had his farm, there had been smaller almond husk fires next door but nothing as big as the current blaze.
"What's worrying me is I really don't know what it will mean for the chooks — it can't be good for them," he said.
"We just have to hope it doesn't blow this way."
