A Central Hawke's Bay dairy farmer had better things to do on a hot Sunday than sit and watch his hay go up in smoke.
But watching the demise was the only option yesterday after fire authorities decided it was beyond saving and there was no risk to other property after the five-bay open-sided shed had been burning for more than three hours.
Firefighters from four volunteer brigades went to the scene off Taylor Rd, south of Ongaonga, after the alarm was raised just before 6am.
Ongaonga chief Tom Taylor said it was flaming fiercely and his crew, joined by the Tikokino brigade, set about saving a tractor and machinery, before fighting the fire with water ferried by two tankers which had come from Otane and Waipawa.
The tractor was then used to help lift hay out of the shed, but by mid-morning, with the damage done and hay smouldering and flaring, authorities had agreed there was little or no risk to other property and there was little point tying-up the resources for the rest of the day.