How can I prevent outdoor fires? Learn how to prevent fires from happening in outdoor areas like backyards and front yards. Fire proofing these areas is made easy by clean landscaping and reasonable distances between your home and combustable materials.
Every year accidental fires claim hundreds of lives. Many are caused by fires that started right outside the home. Jeremy Robshaw, the Public Education Officer for St. John's County Fire Rescue, says this doesn't have to happen; all people need is a little fire education.
"You want to always have 30 feet of space between combustible fuels, trees, shrubs, or your residence. It is important because actually it is your defensible space. You always want to have a disaster plan in place. Large fire evacuations can occur without notice. You need to be alert and be ready for that to occur. You want to have fire resistant roof construction such as class A Asphalt, shingles, metals, cement and concrete products. Make sure that your gutters and roof are clear of debris, as this can really reduce your fire threat. Keep your landscaping very clean. You don't want a lot of extra stuff in your yard. Keep it simple. And you want to have a garden that is able to extend pretty much the area around your home; this can serve as some protection for your home," Robshaw says.
When camping or using your backyard for recreation, the Office of the State Fire Marshal in Washingston has some suggestions:
Use a self-contained camp stove, such as a gas, propane, or butane-type camp stove. Build campfires only in approved metal or concrete-lined fire pits located in designated campground. Also, you should avoid smoking in outdoor recreational spaces.
When you extinguish a campfire follow these steps: 1. Drown the fire with water. 2. Stir the remains. 3. Add more water and stir again. 4. Feel all materials with your bare hand to ensure they are cool. Inspect the area to make sure all materials have been extinguished.
Here are some other outdoor fire safety tips: Install a fire-resistant roof, maintain the roof by cleaning it, store combustibles, such as firewood, away from the house, and install a spark arrester if you have a chimney. Also, make sure you have your chimney properly inspected during your annual chimney sweep. Having a professional check your chimney can help prevent fires in the future. Every year hundreds of fires erupt because of dirty chimneys.
In the end, you want your home to be as fire-proof as possible with your address easily seen from the street. Numbers should be at least four inches high. This is in case emergency crews ever have to come out to your home. You want to make sure they can distinguish your home from others even in the dark. Another good suggestion is having glow in the dark or neon numbers so they are always visible. If you take the lead you may also have a positive impact on your neighbors to do the same.
Robshaw says if you can implement some of these tips, you will be on your way to making your home safer for all who come to visit. Most importantly, you can sleep knowing you have done everything you can to keep your family safe.
