Waikato firefighter warns of tractor fire risks from bird nests

A tractor bursts into flames, ignited by a bird’s nest under the bonnet set alight by the engine. Photo / NZME

While tractor fires are lessening, any is too many, says a veteran firefighter in the Waikato.

Kevin Curtis is in a unique position to offer advice on the issue, as a member of the Matamata Volunteer Fire Brigade for almost 50 years and senior loss adjustor with FMG insurance.

The Matamata brigade’s chief fire officer said that, due to greater awareness and specialist advice, farm callouts relating to tractors and machinery had been on the downturn in recent years.

However, Curtis said farmers still needed to remain vigilant to protect their families, staff and property.

Nesting birds

One of the biggest causes of tractor fires on farms is birds’ nests, particularly starlings.

Curtis said these birds could build a nest in 10 minutes once a tractor is parked.

“They find a nice warm and dark place — usually around the engine exhaust or turbo — and bring good nesting material.”

Curtis said starlings could find their way into the smallest of entry points to build their nests.

He said the best action farmers could take to prevent the problem was to leave engine hoods up when a tractor was stopped for any period of time.

“Starlings love a concealed space to build their nests.”

Engine bays needed to be checked before starting the tractor again, he said.

This is in line with FMG’s long-running Stop & Pop campaign.

Curtis said combine harvesters, quad bikes, side-by-sides, cars and utes were also not immune from a determined bird keen to build a nest.

Resulting fires can be disastrous, with more than a third of tractors that catch alight a complete loss.

He said there was also the potential to lose other machinery or associated buildings nearby.

“The end result could be a multimillion-dollar loss.”

From January to June 2024 FMG paid out 39 tractor fire claims, costing $1.3 million, with 31 of these “total losses”.

The company handled five tractor claims a month, the majority of those relating to fires, the biggest at $302,000.

From January 2019 to December 2023, FMG paid out more than $15.5m in tractor fire claims.

Extra vigilance

In his long experience with the fire service, Curtis had been to the scene of farm fires when all that remained was the frames of tractors and sheds.

Remote rural areas could be 20 minutes from the nearest fire station, so Curtis said it was important to be extra vigilant.

He recommended having fully serviced fire extinguishers in tractors, machinery and buildings.

“There is never such a phrase as too much suppression.”

While it may sound obvious, he said farmers and staff also needed to learn how to use extinguishers correctly.

He stressed the need for farmers and contractors to clean tractors, harvesters and any agricultural equipment after use.

Curtis said high-pressure hoses were good for this.

“Crack open the bonnet and clean the engine area.

“Heavy use of equipment can coat the engine in chaff and grime, a build-up of which can cause the engine to overheat and catch fire.”

Matamata Volunteer Fire Brigade chief fire officer Kevin Curtis. Supplied photo

Curtis said nests in switchboards in farm buildings could also result in a fire and cause significant damage, disruption and potential loss of life.

As with birds, he said it was important for farmers and their staff to also look out for signs of rats or mice near electrical wiring and remove any nests or other flammable material from switchboards.

“Make sure your switchboards are properly enclosed and have a rodent management plan such as ensuring the building is tidy, investing in traps and bait, and keeping grass/foliage trimmed back from the external walls of the building.”

Helping in advance

If a fire call has to be made, Curtis said farmers could help brigades in advance.

“Make sure they can get the fire truck up to access buildings and machinery.”

This means providing a corridor of at least 4 x 4 metres (width and height) free from overhanging vegetation.

Curtis said the width of farm gateways also needed to be considered.

If a dwelling was under threat of fire, he said it was vital to have an “escape plan” for all occupants.

This included a designated meeting area, such as the mailbox.

“Once out, don’t go back.”

He said farmers needed to be alert to the danger of fire and the fire risk inside and outside their homes and include fire protection in their business plans.

“Fire has the potential to cause losses both inside and outside your home.

“The consequences can be disastrous.”

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He said rural property owners faced a higher risk from fire than their urban counterparts.

“The consequences are greater because fires are detected later, and the emergency response takes longer.

“You need to have a higher level of fire safety awareness and to take extra precautions in rural areas.”