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Recent fires ravage Ontario wheat fields

Two incidents occurred over the past week

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

Dry conditions and gusty winds caused two Ontario wheat fields to burn within the past week.

Fire crews from New Dundee and Kitchener were called to assist firefighters from North Dumfries control a fire in a wheat field on Fischer-Hallman Road Tuesday afternoon.

News of the blaze circulated around 4pm, with some people saying they could see a large plume of smoke from downtown Kitchener and Cambridge.

The fire burned about 38 acres of wheat, valued at about $40,000.

With fields suffering from lack of rain, firefighters think the fire could’ve been the result of a stone passing through a combine, causing a spark.

“With these dry conditions, that’s all it takes,” North Dumfries Fire chief Robert Shantz told CTV.

On July 13, firefighters from Coldstream and Ailsa Craig responded to a fire in a winter wheat field in Denfield, north of London, that burned 20 hectares.

Tom Kroesbergen, the farmer who rents the property, said he was combining in a nearby field when a baler caught fire.

“It spread so quickly, especially with the wind,” fire Capt. Paul Meyer told the London Free Press.

Before heading into fields with such dry conditions, farmers may want to read these tips on keeping balers and other machinery safe from possible fires.


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US “Flash Drought” Worst in 133-160 Years + Disease taking a Bite out of US 2025 Corn/Soybean Crops

Video: US “Flash Drought” Worst in 133-160 Years + Disease taking a Bite out of US 2025 Corn/Soybean Crops


A dry August and a “flash drought” in the ECB (Eastern Corn Belt) the driest top 10 to 15 years in 150 to 160 years (Ohio the driest in 133 years) plus disease is taking a bite out of the 2025 U.S. corn and soybean crops.
It's going to be an early harvest. This could be the start of the 89-year drought cycle that may have been delayed until 2026 as La Nina maybe returning.
The USDA September crop report is all about record corn ears and record soybean counts but the October USDA crop report will be about pod and ear weights.
Stats Canada reported higher forecasts for the 2025 Canadian Prairies all wheat and canola crops vs. last year based on satellite imagery but are they overestimating production?
The 2025 Great ON Yield Tour and Quebec crop tours are projecting corn and soybean crops below the 10-year average.
China's Vice Commerce Ministry Li Chenggang visits Washington this week as we continue to connect the dots is a positive sign towards a China/U.S. trade deal. But will U.S. farmers have a winter without China as they buy more soybeans from Uruguay/Argentina? U.S. Northern Plain soybean farmers are seeing red with flat prices at $8.97/bu!
U.S. corn exports on record pace up 99% vs. last year.
Fund short covering continues in corn futures bottom is in!