Dairy: Barn fires - an increasing cause for concern

Thursday, June 10, 2010

When their barn burned down in April, the Howes of Vankleek Hill lost half their dairy herd and much of their equipment. Once started, fires are difficult to control, says the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office, and prevention is the key

by SUSAN MANN

With the help of neighbours and passersby, the Howes family of Vankleek Hill saved half of their 175 animal dairy herd when their barn burned down in April.

Just after Leonard Howes' son, Mark, called 911 on the afternoon of April 10, people started arriving to help get cows out of the 13-year-old, tie-stall barn. The team of helpers rescued 95 animals, but 80 died in the fire. Afterwards, 10 of the rescued animals had to be shipped because of injuries.

Smoke inhalation and stress damage can appear up to two days after a fire, says Crystal Mackay, executive director of the Ontario Farm Animal Council. She says it's important to provide as much fresh air as possible to rescued animals and even, if possible, to humidify the air to help the cows' lungs try to recover.

Leonard and Beverley Howes, who farm in a partnership with their son, Mark, plan to replace the destroyed barn with a new free stall and the fire in mind. The tie stalls made it more difficult to get the cows out, Leonard says. "They (rescuers) got some out and the cows went right back in again."

That is typical cow behaviour, Mackay says. Many modern dairy farms lack a fenced area away from the barn. "Even if you get them (the cows) out of the barn, where do you put them?"

Leonard was at a Grower Pesticide Safety course in Alexandria when the fire broke out. A neighbour, who was taking the course with Leonard, finished the exam before him and heard about the fire on his cell phone. Initially, Leonard was told it was a small fire. But halfway home he could see the smoke. "I was in shock at first."

Leonard and Beverley have farmed four miles west of Vankleek Hill since 1971. They own 550 acres and rent another 150. Before the fire, the Howes were milking 75 to 80 cows.

Mark smelled smoke, but he thought it was from the outdoor furnace and continued chopping straw for bedding. "When he finished, the dust seemed to get thicker," Leonard says.

Mark moved the tractor, looked in the barn door and "it was just a red ball inside," Leonard says. He dashed into the barn to try and extinguish the fire but it was too far advanced.

Four fire crews arrived at 3:30 p.m. to fight the blaze and some firefighters stayed until the next morning to prevent flare-ups, Leonard says. He believes the fire was caused by foreign material going through the straw chopper.

Afterwards, they housed cows at Fawcett's sales barn in Winchester for a week, and made an agreement with neighbour Andy Senn and his partner, Frank Sutter, to look after them.

George MacNaughton, production division director for Dairy Farmers of Ontario, says farmers who've had a barn fire can use shared facilities automatically for 90 days and that can be extended to one year if they are rebuilding.

By late April, the Howes still didn't have a damage estimate. In addition to cows and the barn, the Howes lost all of their milking equipment, feeding system and their bulk tank. One silo was destroyed along with a smaller barn that housed heifers. Two other silos must be rebuilt due to heat damage. The farm house was intact.

There has been increasing concern in the farm community about barn fires.

A Technical Advisory Committee, made up of fire and government officials, farm building professionals and the insurance industry, is trying to provide the best advice that it can, says Krystyna Paterson, acting manager of special projects for the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office. "We're continuing to have significant fires on farm property."

According to the Ontario Fire Marshal's office, barn fire losses in Ontario in the last few years peaked in 2007, with 241 fires and $57.6 million in losses for the buildings only.

There were 196 fires costing $30.1 million in 2004, and 224 fires costing $33.2 million in 2008. Figures are not available yet for 2009.

Paterson says prevention is key. "Once a fire does occur, it is extremely difficult to control it and you will sustain a major loss," Paterson says.

The Council's fact sheet on fires is available at: www.ofac.org/issues/animal_resources.php and the Fire Marshal's Office has a farm fire safety check list at: www.ofm.gov.on.ca. BF