Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Barn Fire Prevention

• Main causes of barn fires
• What can you do?
• Resources

We care about the safety and well-being of you, your family, your employees and your animals. While response to a fire is important, prevention is even better. That is why we continuously work with farmers and industry to develop different ways to plan, monitor and inspect farms to reduce the potential for human and animal life or injuries and/or property loss as a result of barn fires.

Main causes of barn fires

Barn fires can be tragic events for farmers, and the loss of livestock, buildings and equipment can be devastating in many ways. Approximately 40 per cent of all barn fires are caused by faulty electrical systems, which is one of the leading causes of barn fires. Regular inspections and maintenance are key to reducing the risk of a barn fire.

What can you do?

Monitoring and inspecting your buildings and equipment can go a long way in preventing a fire on your farm.

• Have your buildings inspected and maintained regularly by a licensed electrical contractor.
• Develop a preventative maintenance and housekeeping schedule to reduce the risks of a fire.
• Monitor the heat conditions of your barn using infrared technologies.
• Work with your local fire department and insurance company to identify problem areas on your farm, and fix any problem areas identified.
• Have a plan ready to deal with any emergency.
• Ensure you have an adequate number of fire extinguishers, and that they are in good working order.
• Train your family and employees on what to do if there is a barn fire. Plan what to do about livestock, who to call and establish a safe meeting point.

Barn Fire Prevention: Housekeeping Tips - New

Barn Fire Prevention: Electrical Safety Tips - New

Barn Fire Prevention: Hot Works Safety Tips - New

Resources

These resources can help you determine risk areas in your operation, and provide guidance for reducing the risk of barn fires.

• 10 Ways to Reduce the Risk of Barn Fire - New
• Barn fires are stressful and traumatic events for farm families. The After the Fire Checklist is a tool to help you manage the overwhelming number of decisions you may need to make in the aftermath of a fire involving livestock.
• Reducing the Risk of Fire on Your Farm examines the main causes of farm building fires and what you can do to minimize risks.
• Barn Fires - A Concern for Ontario Farmers describes the common causes of barn fires and some ways to help prevent them.
• Use our checklist to help you assess your farm's risk for a barn fire.
• Electrical Systems in Barns provides information on how an electrical system can start a fire, regulations and barn electrical maintenance practices.
• Use our Agricultural Information Atlas to develop a sketch of your farm showing farm features like fire risk areas, utility shut-off points, water sources, livestock barns and access routes for emergency vehicles. This sketch can be shared with local first responders to have on-hand in case of an emergency. Visit the Farm Fire and Emergency Sketch web page for guidance on how to create one for your operation.
• Silo and Hay Mow Fires on Your Farm and Spontaneous Combustion and Hay Fires explain how you can reduce the risk of silage and hay fires caused by spontaneous combustion.
• Methane Gas in Hog Barns and Hazardous Gases on Agricultural Operations discuss manure gas build-up and how you can manage the dangers.
• Livestock Welfare's Emergency Response web page has great resources, such as how to handle livestock during an emergency, how to manage loose and scared livestock, and what to do when a barn fire involves animals.
• Equine Guelph has a fantastic training program on livestock behaviour in emergencies and online barn fire prevention tools.
• FLIR Lending Program through Farm & Food Care Ontario.
• Barn fires can create unique challenges for farmers, including the disposal of large volumes of deadstock. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) has a regulation that gives you options for deadstock management. These options help to protect water quality, reduce environmental impacts and minimize biosecurity hazards, such as scavenging. Visit ontario.ca/deadstock for more information.

Disclaimer

This web page is intended for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide engineering, legal or other advice. OMAFRA does not guarantee absolute accuracy or sufficiency of subject material, nor can we accept responsibility for health and safety recommendations that may have been omitted. We recommend that you consult with your own professional engineer or lawyer as applicable to determine the best course of action or legal requirements applicable to your farm.