BUT for the hard work of the fire crews, more of a field of spring barley yet to be harvested would have been lost on Tuesday, September 1.
Combining the 11 acre field had not long started when the combine driver noticed smoke in a line he had harvested.
He was able to get the combine onto grass and that was saved.
“The combine was cleaned before we began but a bearing in the gear box must have seized, got hot and caught dust alight low down that dropped on the line of straw,” he said.
One acre of barley and two of straw were lost and the combine now needs a bearing repaired. Smoke was seen from a wide area.
Firefighter Kevin Osborne said: “The crews worked really hard. If it had not been for their actions the whole field would have been lost and possibly the hedge. The crew worked extremely hard and it was a hot afternoon.”
The firefighters were able to drive their engines into the field to use water, beaters and CAFS (a compressed air foam system). The combine harvester had been put out by the time Crediton got to the field. They were the first to arrive.