Melted temperature probe

I have smoked many, many times, and almost always use a temperature probe. Never have I had this problem: After my last smoke (only about an hour long), I discovered the plastic coating on the probe for my SM025 was burned off about 1 ft. from the point. I am always careful to pull out excess wire from the box, and I try to assure the wire isn't touching the sides or other racks. Obviously, the wire touched something this time. (I may not have had this problem with my 009 because my earlier probes were not coated the way the CS probe is.) Have others had this issue (I can't find a similar question on the forum)? Is the probe trash? Would it hurt to use it with the wire exposed? Would heat-shrink tubing hold up? Should I bite the bullet and spend over $85 (ouch!) on a new probe, or just go back to using my non-CS probes? TIA for any guidance / suggestions.