By With red flag warnings being issued recently and ongoing arid conditions, the potential for fire lurks in every field as farmers race to harvest their crops.
“In a small town like Claremont, farmers know the danger. They make up a lot of the crew on our fire department, and they know how quickly a spark can destroy a combine and a field,” Claremont Fire Chief Matt McCranie said.
As chief, McCranie knows how to put out combine fires. As a farmer, he also knows the awful feeling when a fire burns a combine and there is nothing that can be done. He’s excited about a new soybean product that snuffs out flames.
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The soybeans in northern South Dakota are dry, with many producers reporting a moisture of 10% or less. When that fine dry bean dust builds up on heated areas of equipment, the potential for fire increases. Many combine fires start where crop dust builds up on hot surfaces such as the engine, bearings, slip clutches, belts, hydraulic lines, wiring harnesses or other moving parts where friction causes heat. From there, it can easily spread and ignite other flammable materials and liquids present on combines.
A small spark can quickly create a big problem. A combine is a major part of a farm operation and can cost anywhere from $50,000 to $750,000. It’s extremely stressful to lose the use of equipment during harvest time.
McCranie saw the foam demonstrated in Georgia
McCranie has farmed full–time since 2013 with his parents, Mike and Monica McCranie, and brother Mitchell. As one who grows soybeans, Matt is excited about a new eco-friendly fire suppressant made from soybeans called SoyFoam TF 1122.
The biodegradable foam is effective against various types of fires and is safer for the environment compared to traditional foams. It works by coating and smothering flames, and it’s believed to significantly enhance the effectiveness of water used in firefighting.
McCranie traveled to Georgia last year where he saw demonstrations of the product, which is an alternative to fire-suppressing foams. The current foams are effective, but unfortunately environmentally toxic, which is not the case with soy-based foam.
SoyFoam TF 1122 is a Class A/B foam, which means it’ll work on Class A combustibles like wood, cloth and paper and Class B liquids like oil, gas and diesel.
“The SoyFoam is definitely eco-friendly,” said McCranie. “The biodegradability of it is going to make it more eco-friendly than anything we are using now as it is 60% biodegraded at 18 days and 91% by 180 days. The benchmark set for being readily biodegradable is 60% at 180 days and this far exceeds that.”
McCranie said the foam is per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance and fluorine–free and is the first foam to be GreenScreen Gold Certified.
“You get the effective firefighting and foaming properties of a fire foam in this SoyFoam without the harmful effects for firefighters or the environment,” he said. “This is much safer for everyone.”
SoyFoam suppresses fire in several ways
SoyFoam is a wetting/smothering agent that can help suppress fires in multiple ways. It reduces the surface tension of water to more effectively coat and penetrate the burning material to cool and extinguish the fire. It can also be used to blanket burning liquids by creating a vapor barrier to prevent the vapors from escaping, mixing with oxygen and igniting.
The SoyFoam is priced competitively, and dealers are offering the product, according to McCranie. Some fire departments, such as Claremont, have it in their arsenal of tools.
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“SoyFoam will choke out the oxygen on a fire,” he said. “SoyFoam will coat it, blanket it and keep the fire knocked down for a longer period.”
The soy-based suppressant essentially quadruples the amount of water the department takes to a fire.
In 2020, the McCranie family of Claremont lost a combine due to fire while combining soybeans. Photo courtesy of the McCranie family.
McCranies lost a combine to fire in 2020
In 2020 while combining soybeans, McCranie’s dad had a small fire start in the engine compartment of the combine he was operating.
His brother, who was in the grain cart, came over the radio saying, “Mike’s combine is on fire.”
They hurried over to their dad’s combine with the additional extinguishers they had on their equipment. Their dad was able to get the combine to a cleared area and get an initial knockdown on the fire. Mitchell got the disc and dug a firebreak around the combine. They used all the extinguishers they had to keep the fire knocked down and thought they had it out, but it kept flaring back up.
“We eventually had to stand back and watch it burn. The fire department responded quickly, but not before the fire spread and the engine compartment was engulfed. That‘s just how fast it can happen with all the flammable material and liquids on a combine. It was a pretty helpless feeling to watch,” Matt McCranie said.
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The machine had broken down that morning. While fixing it, the McCranies cleaned off the dust and debris before starting that afternoon.
“We don‘t know what started the fire exactly, but sometimes it just happens. We’ve seen other combine fires start where the bean dust builds on something that gets hot and ignites. That‘s why it is critical to keep those areas clean,” McCranie said.
Such a fire can quickly spread through the surrounding uncut bean fields and other vegetation. Having a disc close by can help by creating a firebreak to prevent flames from spreading.
Preventing an equipment fire is important
As he maneuvers his combine through the fields, McCranie said he tries to be prepared.
“I keep fire equipment with me, ready to roll when I get a page for a fire in our district,” he said.
If there is a fire, McCranie said, turn off the combine’s engine, get away from the machine and call 911. Then use fire extinguishers to attack the fire if it is safe to do so.
Keeping equipment clean is critical.
“Start each day by blowing off the dust and debris from the engine compartment and other critical areas on the combine. If you have a fire start, do your best with the extinguisher you have on hand. Try to keep the fire from spreading,” McCranie said.
The most common extinguishers used by farmers are ABC extinguishers (red) and water extinguishers (silver).
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“I mix 3% SoyFoam in my water cans pressured to 100 (pounds per square inch). We have one in each combine. We also have an extinguisher on the grain cart,” he said.
“Don’t hesitate to call the fire department. We’ll come even if you think you got it out,” McCranie said.
Sometimes when farmers turn their machines back on, the hot area reignites.
“We will stay there with the truck and water to provide help if it flares back up,” he said.
Most importantly, McCranie advises people to stay safe.
“If it gets to be too much make sure you go to a safe place. Call 911 and get the fire department to handle the fire. You don’t want to get seriously burned trying to do it yourself,” he said.
Connie Sieh Groop
Connie Sieh Groop of Frederick is a veteran journalist and writer who has focused on all aspects of the agriculture industry during her career.