A fire which burnt 2ha of wheat stubble at Patearoa yesterday was the third within a week in the Maniototo started by sparks from machinery hitting stones.
All three were in grain paddocks and the circumstances of yesterday's fire were similar to one on Monday, in a neighbouring paddock on the same property. It started after three-quarters of the grain in that paddock had been harvested, so it was mostly stubble that burnt, Ranfurly Fire Brigade Deputy Chief Fire Officer David Millar said.
''It was the same contractor and the contractor and farmer had done everything right and were being very responsible.
''The contractor had a tanker of water there on stand-by, but unfortunately it wasn't enough to put out the fire.''
Crews from the Ranfurly and Naseby brigades attended after an emergency call at 3.20pm.
It was fortunate it was a calm day and irrigation races bordering two sides of the paddock helped halt the blaze, Mr Millar said.
''The temperature was already in the 30s though, so it wasn't much fun fighting a fire on a day like that, kitted out in all our protective gear.''
Fire crews were at the scene for two hours.
The contractor and farmer had decided no more grain would be harvested on the property until the contractor had hired a 10,000 litre tanker with a spray bar to follow the grain harvester, spraying the stubble. That was a sensible precaution to take, Mr Millar said.
''It's pretty dry here, but not as bad as up country.
''I can understand from the farmer's view though, he's got to get the grain off, and they were already being responsible, so I have no complaint about that.''
Monday's fire started when about half the grain paddock had been harvested. Grain, as well as stubble, was burnt in the fire which covered about 0.4ha.
A total fire ban came into force in Central Otago at midnight on Tuesday, because of the fire risk in the district.
