FIRE authorities are urging farmers to ramp up their haystack maintenance for the remainder of the season after a surge in blazes.

The CFA has responded to more than 50 blazes since November, including a "fire storm" that destroyed about 600 hay bales in Kerang.

Most were reported in the Wimmera and Loddon Mallee, with 29 in the north west region and 12 in the west.

Farmers are being urged to m...