A suspicious fire in a decade old stockpile of bales near Elie is re-igniting questions about when all the straw will be cleaned-up.
Nearly 150,000 thousand bales line the Trans-Canada Highway near the town. Thursday night a fire started at the back of the pile, Friday evening they were still smoldering.
Investigators believe at least 600 bales were destroyed.
RCMP are calling the fire suspicious and believe it may have been deliberately set.
Fire crews were called to the scene at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
The fire appears to have started in the back five rows of the stockpile. Strong winds quickly spread the flames.
Officials say it was a dangerous fire to fight because of the risk of falling bales.
Volunteer firefighters used tractors, loaders, and even snow blowers to battle the blaze.
The bales were part of a stockpile that was left behind after Dow BioProducts shutdown their plant in the area.
The bales were supposed to be used for making particle-board, but high fuel costs and poor exchange rates made the process infeasible.
The fact that the bales were never removed from the site has long been a subject of controversy. Some residents say they wish officials would just let them burn.
They say the bales are a haven for rodents, an eyesore, and a fire hazard, pointing out that if the winds were different this weeks fire would have closed the Trans-Canada.
Dow has been promising to move the bales for three years, but they have never followed through on their plans.
Crews are hope to have the fire completely contained by Friday night, but will be forced to monitor it for a couple of days.
With a report from CTV's Joe Olafson
