The Wimmera Mail Times reports on Brian Tonkin who was harvesting barley in a paddock beside Blue Ribbon Road with his grandsons when he turned the header around and saw a fire had started at 11am.
Mr Tonkin told the newspaper he called the fire brigade and removed the header and children from the fire. "The fire got away pretty quickly and burnt about 60 hectares of malt quality barley. I am not really happy about it. I would rather be stripping the barley than going through insurance."
The fire was controlled by noon and Mr Tonkin said the hard work of CFA brigade members and a huge turnout of residents with fire trailers meant no property was damaged.
"The biggest problem was that at one point the fire was burning towards the house," he said. "We have existing firebreaks and we had already harvested near the house but everyone who was out there did a great job to protect it.
"It could have gone straight over the top of the house. It got very close and I thank all the CFA members and locals who helped. They really saved us. They all did a great job."
Mr Tonkin said the fire was started by a bearing in the header. "It was the first crop fire I have had in 40 years of farming. One in 40 years is enough."
District 17 Operations Officer Trevor Ebbels said CFA crews from Warracknabeal, Dimboola, North Wimmera, Pimpinio and Cannum and
private appliances battled the fire.
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