A quick-thinking Devon farmer buried his telehandler in soil after it caught fire to prevent the flames spreading to the field.
However, the soil insulated the heat and so risked the fire reigniting.
At 5.33pm on August 3, the farmer called the fire service to report that his telehandler had caught fire in a cornfield in Chivelstone.
Two fire engines from Kingsbridge and Salcombe were mobilised, along with the water bowser from Plympton.
A spokesperson from Kingsbridge Fire Station said: "On arrival we found that a farmers telehandler had caught fire in a field.
"The quick thinking of the farmer to cover the fire in soil stopped rapid spreading of the fire within the recently harvested dry field.
"However, the soil was then insulating the hot remains of the telehandler preventing it from cooling down.
Using small tools, the crews unburied the telehandler and cooled it with hose jets to ensure that it would not reignite.
Fortunately, there was a water hydrant nearby, so the water bowser could return to base.
The telehandler was severely damaged in the fire, which is believed to have been accidental.
There is a large number of fires breaking out on farms in the south west, currently - field fires, machinery fires and barn fires.
This is due to the heatwave, drought and harvest.
To find out more about ways to reduce the risk of farm machinery fires, click here.
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