According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s crop progress report, as we begin to see the transition from normal autumn weather, the state’s corn and soybean harvest seems to be progressing well.

Since our harvest time window is limited, taking time to prevent joint fires can be challenging. In fact, prevention and protection are both important. The fact is that no matter what measures you take to prevent it from happening, some machines will burn.

Over the years, my former students and I have investigated about 12,000 agricultural machinery fires, including combine harvesters, tractors and other specialized harvesters. According to our understanding, the following are important tips to prevent equipment fires during harvesting:

John Shutske is a professor and extension expert in the Department of Biosystems Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Extension Department of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and director of the Center for Agricultural Safety and Health at the University of Wisconsin.