Thanks to a harvest-time fluke, fire scorched a wheat field 10 miles north of Wilton, near New John's Lake, on Monday.

Nine firefighters from the Wilton Fire Department responded after receiving the call at 2:18 p.m.

Brad Hedstrom, a 20-year Wilton Fire Department volunteer, said the fire was contained after about two and a half hours.

Landowner Larry Wall believes the fire started after batteries in a combine exploded and caught fire.

"It's bound to happen, whether it's a bailer or a combine,"Wall said.

Combine operator Wes Doepke was able to harvest most of the field's wheat before it burned. The section that burned was mostly stubble, Hedstrom said.

Firefighters and other volunteers were able to contain the fire, but it did jump the road in one place, Wall said.

All told, about two dozen volunteers responded to the fire, including a grader operator, who helped plow the field to stop the fire.

Conditions in the area were dry, Hedstrom said. The North Dakota Forest Service said the hot temperatures and abnormally dry conditions are creating a lot of fuel in the countryside throughout the southwestern quarter of the state. McLean County, where Monday's fire occurred, does not have a burn ban in effect. Morton County did issue a burn ban on Monday, which is in effect until further notice.

(Reach reporter Alyssa Schafer at 250-8264 or alyssa.schafer@;bismarcktribune.com.)

Morton County issues burn ban

Due to abnormally dry conditions, Morton County has instituted a burn ban. The ban is effective immediately, and is in place until further notice.

Willful violation of the ban is against the law. First-time violators can be fined $500; a second offense is a Class B misdemeanor, which is punishable by one year in jail and a fine of $1,000.

Forest Service: 'Wildfire season starts'

The North Dakota Forest Service said Monday that the recent 100-degree temperatures and abnormally dry conditions in southwestern North Dakota are quickly curing the brush and grass fuels. Burning restrictions have been implemented in a number of counties.

More than 90 percent of wildfires in North Dakota are human-caused, the service reported.

The NDFS encourages residents to take the following steps before burning:

* Check to see if the county or the local land management agency you are in has implemented any burning restrictions.

* Know what the weather forecast is not only for that day, but the next day as well.

* If you start a fire, never leave the fire, unless it is cold to the touch.

* Know how to report a fire: Be aware of your surroundings so you can give a good and accurate location; give an approximate size and describe any homes or structures that may be threatened; stay on the line to help give further information as requested; and report any suspicious vehicles and activities.