Fire Destroys 1,000-Ton Haystack

A fire burned a 1,000-ton haystack in Douglas County on Monday night.

“You’re talking a haystack that’s 100 feet long, or longer,” said Dwaine Schettler, deputy chief of Fire District 1 in Douglas County.

The 35-acre fire began about 7:18 p.m. in the Palisades area of the county, near where Douglas, Grant and Kittitas counties join. It was under control within an hour, authorities said.

No one was injured.

Schettler said 1,000 tons is about 300,000 bales of hay and would be worth about $120,000.

“That’s a whole year’s wages,” he said.

That area of the county is not covered by fire protection, so the landowner might have to pay for the firefighters’ response, Schettler said. The landowner’s identity was not available.