Up to 60 Large Round Hay Bales Burn in Brush Fire

MONETA – A large brush fire consumed 50-60 bales of hay last Sunday, March 17 in the Moneta area of Bedford County.

Crews from Moneta, Stewartsville, Bedford, Hardy, Shady Grove, Saunders, Montvale and Scruggs were called to the scene around 3:36 p.m.

The fire broke out off of the 1100 block of Horseshoe Bend Road.

Hay itself can catch fire on its own and can be very hard to put out. Any hay with more than 22% moisture can cause self combustion, firefighters say. The warmer days promotes bacteria growth that helps heat the hay as it decays.