Spontaneous combustion caused massive hay fire in Oregon

EUGENE, Ore. – A Junction City fire captain said spontaneous combustion caused a fire that burned a $1.5 million hay harvest.

Friday’s blaze was at the Bounds Hay Co., a few miles northwest of downtown Junction City. Capt. Jason Peterson tells the Register-Guard he can’t recall working a bigger fire in his 15 years with the department.

He said the fire will likely smolder for the rest of the week. Property owner Jesse Bounds has a water truck on the premises and will continue to monitor the scene.

Bounds said he believed moisture from a pile of waste straw mulch, mixed with direct afternoon sunlight, caused the straw to combust. Heavy winds then pushed embers onto a hay storage barn. Two barns lost in the fire were insured.