Fire safety doesn’t take summer vacations

Enjoy the outdoors safely with tips from VFRS

With this summer’s dry, hot weather, it is important to keep fire safety top of mind. As you plan outdoor events, barbecues and seasonal activities, be sure to follow these tips from Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service (VFRS) to help keep you safe while having fun.

Barbecues

When barbecuing, keep these safety tips top of mind:

• Use barbecues outdoors only. They produce carbon monoxide (CO) – a colourless, odourless and tasteless gas that can be fatal in an enclosed space.
• Ensure all burner ports are free of rust, dirt or cobwebs. Use a pipe cleaner or wire to ensure there are no obstructions before lighting the burners.
• Check hose and cylinder connections to make sure they are in good working condition. To look for leaks, brush a mixture of 50 per cent soap and 50 per cent water onto all hoses and connections – then, look for bubbles. Replace, repair or tighten any connections until the bubbles are gone.
• Never use a match or lighter to check for leaks of combustible substances.
• Clean out grease traps and keep grill areas free of any debris.
• Place your barbecue in a safe area away from combustible materials, buildings and fences. Radiant heat from a barbecue can damage siding on the exterior of a home or shed.
• Always light a barbecue with the lid open. If the burner does not ignite, keep the lid open, turn off the gas and wait five minutes before trying again.

When cooking with charcoal grills, only use charcoal briquettes (a compressed chunk of coal dust or charcoal) explicitly designed for that purpose. To ignite, sprinkle the briquettes with charcoal lighter fluid and allow it to soak in for approximately 10 minutes. Never add fluid after igniting the barbecue and never use gasoline to light a barbecue.

Propane tanks

If your grill runs on propane, remember these tips:

• Always carry and transport a propane cylinder in a vehicle in an upright position with the safety valve on top. Ensure your vehicle’s windows are open while transporting.
• Never leave a cylinder in a parked vehicle with the windows up. Heat can build up quickly, which, in turn, can cause an explosion.
• Do not store propane inside a building, including a garage. Propane gas is heavier than air – if a cylinder leaks, the escaping gas will settle near the ground. A spark from the pilot light of your furnace, hot water heater or fireplace can cause ignition at any time.
• Keep propane cylinders in a secure, well-ventilated area, off the ground, on a non-combustible base. Store in an upright position, outdoors and away from heat or ignition sources.
• Keep propane tanks away from building exits to ensure safe evacuation in an emergency.

Smoking 

Hot temperatures and dry conditions increase the risk of smoking-related fires. If you choose to smoke:

• always extinguish cigarettes and cigars in a sturdy metal container.
• place a drop of water in your ashtray and allow the ash to cool down fully before putting the contents into a garbage bin or bag.
• never put out a cigarette in a potted plant or on the ground. Dry grass, plants and fertilizer can be highly flammable. 

Outdoor fireplaces, chimineas and fuel-burning appliances

VFRS has issued a ban on all outdoor and open-air burning, effective until further notice. This includes prohibiting the use of outdoor wood-burning appliances, like fire pits and fireplaces, bonfires, chimineas and campfires. VFRS will continue to monitor weather and air quality conditions, and updates will be posted at vaughan.ca/fire. 

Until the ban is lifted, the following restrictions are in place to protect public safety: 

• Existing fire permits are cancelled.

• No new fire permits will be issued.

• Open fires or burning debris of any kind is not permitted. 

For more information and fire safety tips, visit vaughan.ca/fire.

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