Earlier this month, a massive fire erupted at an apple farm located in Sunnyside, Washington, requiring the efforts of multiple firefighters to contain it. Initial investigations suggested that the fire was deliberately set, targeting both wooden and plastic apple bins.

The destructive blaze consumed an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 apple bins, amounting to a loss of approximately $50,000 in value. The overall financial toll of the fire was estimated to exceed $1.2 million. 

We covered this topic in a previous post, which you can read about here. 

The real story here however, may not be the fire itself, but the lack of mention of it in the news. Researching the topic was almost impossible, revealing only one breaking news story. However, the video of the fire went viral, and if not for that, the incident probably would have gone unnoticed by most of the nation. 

The incident served as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of agricultural businesses to acts of intentional harm. It highlighted the need for enhanced security measures and increased vigilance to protect valuable assets within the farming sector. Farmers and authorities collaborated to implement preventive measures and improve security protocols, aiming to deter future incidents and safeguard the industry.