With the 2014 cropping harvest finishing in very hot, dry, windy conditions, farmers say they are faced with increased uncertainty around their legal position in the event of harvest fires.

Their concerns have been prompted after a Dubbo insurance broker told that he advises farmer clients to avoid harvesting on a day of total fire ban, as many policies contain clauses that the companies can use to avoid paying out claims on fires caused by farm machinery, on days of high fire risk.

Broker Luke O'Neill says he would advise any client of his to simply put the harvester in the shed on days of total fire bans.

"At the very least, farmers should be checking their insurance policies, to see what clauses are in there about harvest fire."

Cudal farmer Lawrence Balcomb is also the chairman of Mid-Lachlan Landcare Group, he says there's real concern amongst his members about the implications for farmers and he has been fielding questions from across his region.

"People have a lot of money tied up in their machinery, in their crops and there's also a lot of pressure also for farmers to get their crops off to maximise their profit," he said.

"So farmers need to be sure what their insurance cover is, what their individual policy says."

Mr Balcomb says farmers are concerned about the technical difference between harvesting advice for days of total fire ban, or for days when the Rural Fire Service has requested they to cease harvest.

Lyndon Whelan is the Manager of the Orana Regional Fire Service, he acknowledges that this year is a particularly difficult one for farmers to get through harvest safely.

"We do not issue advice to cease harvest unless there is a total fire ban, and a total fire ban is not always accompanied by advice to cease harvest," he said.

"Having said that, this year is a particularly hot, dry and windy and that is creating particularly difficult fire conditions.

"So, my best advice would be for farmers who are in any doubt about local fire conditions and the RFS advice, to contact their local fire service to see what the position is.

"And also different insurance companies have different policy models, so I would recommend people contact their insurance company for advice about the terms of their policy."

Source - http://www.abc.net.au/