A rude awakening....

DucksNuts · 10-23-2007, 06:32 AM

At 11.45pm last nite, I was woken by what I thought was a disco in my bedroom...that I didnt remember going to.

It was the CFA (Country Fire Authority) and 4 Fire Trucks....it appears the haystack had caught fire.

A guy travelling along the highway 6 kms behind the property had seen the blaze and called it in.

You cant save a haystack without an excavator to pull it apart quickly.

$60k of hay....gone....in a year where the farmers will be screaming for it.

I didnt think to get pics last nite, but I got some today and tonite.

It will smoulder for a week, but the wind tonite is fanning it badly and it will be another sleepless nite.

I tried to upload some pics in this post, but it didnt happen.

Here's the link to the picaso album, sorry, I havent edited anything yet and I couldnt miss the pic opportunity

(its uploading, so if you look straight after I post this, you wont see jack shit)

glatt · 10-23-2007, 07:56 AM

That sucks. Sorry you lost your haystack. I had no idea a haystack was worth so much money. Amazing.

ZenGum · 10-23-2007, 08:33 AM

Damn, damn, damn.
Tough break, Ducks. That is a major blow going into summer. Bummer on losing the hayshed too... was anything insured? Any idea on how it started? Three cheers for the CFA, as always. Ever read The Drover's Wife? Australian women on the land have a reputation for endurance almost beyond belief. I have no doubt that you will get by.

For non-Aussies, we've had prolonged drought for several years now, stock feed is hard to come by and worth heaps.

Cloud · 10-23-2007, 08:51 AM

Wow, I'm sorry. That's scary. Do they know why it caught on fire?

Sundae · 10-23-2007, 11:15 AM

Great photos Ducks
But I admit that's small consolation - really sorry to hear this

Clodfobble · 10-23-2007, 11:22 AM

I don't know how close the haystack was to your house, Ducks, but I'm glad everyone is safe.

Cicero · 10-23-2007, 11:23 AM

This sounds like poor compensation....but it doesn't seem like it killed you in your sleep along with your family. It sounds like everyone is safe along with your house. That's awesome.

I'm just going for a bright side here. If it sounds like I'm reaching here, I probably am.

Glad you are ok Ducks.

Clodfobble · 10-23-2007, 11:52 AM

Oh yeah, I meant to ask Ducks--is there insurance for this sort of thing?

freshnesschronic · 10-23-2007, 11:55 AM

My sympathy, hope there's a silver lining.

Spexxvet · 10-23-2007, 12:21 PM

Must've been scary, Duck. I didn't know your farm is a "working farm". Hope everything works out.

jinx · 10-23-2007, 01:24 PM

Holy shit! Scary ducks... the pics are intense. Glad no one was hurt, but that the sucks, I'm sorry...

monster · 10-23-2007, 01:28 PM

Was it your haystack Ducks? I assumed you meant a neighbor's. still a bummer

Aliantha · 10-23-2007, 06:19 PM

I don't think companies like insuring things that are so easily destroyed.

Luckily for Ducks, she may qualify for some kind of drought relief though. I'm sure she'll be able to give us more info when she's about again.

If I had some hay I'd send it Ducks. Unfortunately it's just as bad up here.

DucksNuts · 10-23-2007, 06:40 PM

Thanks.....I was just drained last nite.

Its tough, to grow crops for hay, you need water, we havent had decent rain for years. This season, we were lucky and got enough rain to produce a crop. No one can afford to irrigate at the moment, at $1000 a megalitre of water, so we are at the mercy of the rain god.

Farmers locally are walking off their land, actually, the government is encouraging them to walk off the land to stop the bleeding of drought relief funds.

Anyways......

Its insured, but only for $20K, plus the hay shed.....unknown what we will get for that.

You can insure anything on the farm, stock, crops, feed, hay etc....but it costs a small fortune.

The house is about 50 metres away, and I have been really lucky that the wind has been blowing northwards and not westerly towards the house.

The other thing I just found out was that cyanide is released from the corrugated iron as it is burning....greeeeat.

We were all safe, the CFA are fantastic (this is the 3rd time they have been out to my house....last time was a crow that flew into the power lines and combusted, then fell into the dead grass

)

Oh and cause.......a couple of bales that werent dried properly....like fresh grass clippings, they generate heat. Add that to the 37 degree day we had and some wind.....up she goes.

lumberjim · 10-23-2007, 06:53 PM

wow...spontaneous combustion? srsly?

10-23-2007, 06:32 AM	#1
DucksNuts Bitchy Little Brat Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 5,067	A rude awakening.... At 11.45pm last nite, I was woken by what I thought was a disco in my bedroom...that I didnt remember going to. It was the CFA (Country Fire Authority) and 4 Fire Trucks....it appears the haystack had caught fire. A guy travelling along the highway 6 kms behind the property had seen the blaze and called it in. You cant save a haystack without an excavator to pull it apart quickly. $60k of hay....gone....in a year where the farmers will be screaming for it. I didnt think to get pics last nite, but I got some today and tonite. It will smoulder for a week, but the wind tonite is fanning it badly and it will be another sleepless nite. I tried to upload some pics in this post, but it didnt happen. Here's the link to the picaso album, sorry, I havent edited anything yet and I couldnt miss the pic opportunity (its uploading, so if you look straight after I post this, you wont see jack shit)

10-23-2007, 08:51 AM	#4
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	Wow, I'm sorry. That's scary. Do they know why it caught on fire? __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

10-23-2007, 11:15 AM	#5
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Great photos Ducks But I admit that's small consolation - really sorry to hear this __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

10-23-2007, 11:23 AM	#7
Cicero Looking forward to open mic night. Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: New Mexico Posts: 5,148	This sounds like poor compensation....but it doesn't seem like it killed you in your sleep along with your family. It sounds like everyone is safe along with your house. That's awesome. I'm just going for a bright side here. If it sounds like I'm reaching here, I probably am. Glad you are ok Ducks. __________________ Show me a sane man, and I will cure him for you.- Carl Jung

10-23-2007, 12:21 PM	#10
Spexxvet Makes some feel uncomfortable Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 10,346	Must've been scary, Duck. I didn't know your farm is a "working farm". Hope everything works out. __________________ "I'm certainly free, nay compelled, to spread the gospel of Spex. " - xoxoxoBruce

10-23-2007, 07:56 AM	#2
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	That sucks. Sorry you lost your haystack. I had no idea a haystack was worth so much money. Amazing.

10-23-2007, 08:33 AM	#3
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	Damn, damn, damn. Tough break, Ducks. That is a major blow going into summer. Bummer on losing the hayshed too... was anything insured? Any idea on how it started? Three cheers for the CFA, as always. Ever read The Drover's Wife? Australian women on the land have a reputation for endurance almost beyond belief. I have no doubt that you will get by. For non-Aussies, we've had prolonged drought for several years now, stock feed is hard to come by and worth heaps.

10-23-2007, 11:22 AM	#6
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	I don't know how close the haystack was to your house, Ducks, but I'm glad everyone is safe.

10-23-2007, 11:52 AM	#8
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Oh yeah, I meant to ask Ducks--is there insurance for this sort of thing?

10-23-2007, 11:55 AM	#9
freshnesschronic Professor Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,555	My sympathy, hope there's a silver lining.

10-23-2007, 01:24 PM	#11
jinx Come on, cat. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: general vicinity of Philadelphia area Posts: 7,013	Holy shit! Scary ducks... the pics are intense. Glad no one was hurt, but that the sucks, I'm sorry... __________________ Crying won't help you, praying won't do you no good.

10-23-2007, 01:28 PM	#12
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	Was it your haystack Ducks? I assumed you meant a neighbor's. still a bummer __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

10-23-2007, 06:19 PM	#13
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	I don't think companies like insuring things that are so easily destroyed. Luckily for Ducks, she may qualify for some kind of drought relief though. I'm sure she'll be able to give us more info when she's about again. If I had some hay I'd send it Ducks. Unfortunately it's just as bad up here. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

10-23-2007, 06:40 PM	#14
DucksNuts Bitchy Little Brat Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 5,067	Thanks.....I was just drained last nite. Its tough, to grow crops for hay, you need water, we havent had decent rain for years. This season, we were lucky and got enough rain to produce a crop. No one can afford to irrigate at the moment, at $1000 a megalitre of water, so we are at the mercy of the rain god. Farmers locally are walking off their land, actually, the government is encouraging them to walk off the land to stop the bleeding of drought relief funds. Anyways...... Its insured, but only for $20K, plus the hay shed.....unknown what we will get for that. You can insure anything on the farm, stock, crops, feed, hay etc....but it costs a small fortune. The house is about 50 metres away, and I have been really lucky that the wind has been blowing northwards and not westerly towards the house. The other thing I just found out was that cyanide is released from the corrugated iron as it is burning....greeeeat. We were all safe, the CFA are fantastic (this is the 3rd time they have been out to my house....last time was a crow that flew into the power lines and combusted, then fell into the dead grass ) Oh and cause.......a couple of bales that werent dried properly....like fresh grass clippings, they generate heat. Add that to the 37 degree day we had and some wind.....up she goes.

10-23-2007, 06:53 PM	#15
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	wow...spontaneous combustion? srsly? __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

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