Midrash for Bava Kamma 121:1
אלא למ"ד טמון באש קמיבעיא ליה מאי איבעי ליה קראי אמר לך טמון וחדא מהנך קמיבעיא ליה
But according to the view that his inquiry concerned concealed goods in the case of Fire, what need was there for the verses?<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e. the whole description of the barley and lentils. ');"><sup>1</sup></span> — He might say to you that besides [the problem of] hidden goods [in the case of Fire], one of the other problems [referred to above]<span class="x" onmousemove="('comment',' I.e., either to burn the stacks down or to exchange those of Israelites for those of the enemy. ');"><sup>2</sup></span>
Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael
"If fire go out and it find thorns": "thorns" are mentioned only to assign a limit (for his liability). If thorns are present (and carry the fire), there is a limit (for his liability). If they are not present (and he lights it directly) there is no limit. From here they ruled: If it crossed a river or a (public) way or a fence ten cubits high and caused damage, he is not liable. How is he perceived? He is perceived as standing in the midst of a beth-kor and damaging, (liability obtaining up to about 137 cubits on all sides.) R. Eliezer says: Sixteen cubits, as (the distance of) the public way. R. Akiva says: Fifty cubits. R. Shimon says: "Pay shall he pay, he that lights the fire" — all according to the fire (i.e., according to the height of the fire and its mass. The bigger it is, the farther it travels.) It once happened that a fire crossed the Jordan and caused damage because of its mass. When is this so? When it moves in spurts; but when it moves contiguously, even up to a mil, he is liable.
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