Fire destroys large haystacks north of Prineville

Nearly 2,500 tons of hay were destroyed in a costly fire early Monday north of Prineville that likely was sparked by spontaneous combustion, officials said.

“Somebody noticed the glow” in the sky north of Barnes Butte and called authorities around 12:40 a.m., prompting the call-out of Crook County Fire & Rescue, said Fire Cief Matt Smith.

Crews arrived and found three large haystacks fully involved in fire, Smith said.

At roughly $230 a ton, the losses total nearly $575,000.

Crews were on scene for about two or three hours, Smith said, adding that it’s likely they will continue to burn and put out a lot of smoke for two or three days.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but likely spontaneous combustion, the fire chief said. There were no injuries, and no other structures were threatened. Farm equipment was moved from around the haystacks, he added.