By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

Fire crews were dispatched to a fire southwest of Hays early Monday morning.

According to Ellis County Rural Fire Director Darin Myers, the department received a report of hay bales on fire in the 1200 block of Mount Pleasant just after 7 a.m.

Myers said the property owners moved approximately 20 bales that were on fire to another pasture to save the other 400 plus bales in the stack. He said the cause was undetermined, but he believed the fire most likely started by spontaneous combustion because of the heat and decomposition.

The bales were allowed to burn most of the day before they were covered with dirt Monday evening.