Squamish Fire Rescue is asking residents to “cool their ashes” after attending to two yard waste bin fire incidents last week.
“Squamish Fire Rescue attended two similar incidents last week where ashes were disposed of in yard waste bins outside of homes,” Squamish Fire Rescue Chief Aaron Foote told The 小蓝视频.
“In both cases, this led to a fire involving the waste container and surrounding area in proximity to homes, but was stopped prior to damaging the structures.”
According to Foote, if not disposed of correctly, ashes can lead to “significant fire damage including a structure fire and or interface fire, where the fire extends to the forest or vice versa.”
How to correctly dispose of ashes?
A common misconception about ashes and coal is that they seem cold, when in fact, they are not.
Foote explains that ash and coals can appear cool, but can quickly re-ignite if placed near combustible material.
“A one-week period [is needed] to ensure it is safe to dispose of, thoroughly soaking with water can reduce the time needed to ensure it is completely out.
So you’ve had a fire or used an appliance that uses coal, but how do you correctly dispose of the ashes?
Foote says the correct procedure is as follows:
• Remove ash from the appliance or fire pit when cool and place in a metal container with a lid that seals.
• Place the container away from any structures or combustible materials such as hedges etc.
• Check the container after one week and ensure the ash is cold, adding water before disposing into the compost bin.
• Ensure the bins are not stored in close proximity to the home ( i.e. over three metres from the home).
A friendly reminder
Foote says residents should follow the proper ash disposal method at all times of the year.
“Ashes that appear cool can still re-ignite and threaten structures in the proximity. This has the potential to have damaging consequences at any time of the year, and is even more dangerous in the warmer months when conditions in the surrounding vegetation are also dry,” he said.
“We strongly encourage residents to take note of FireSmart principles and adopt them around their homes and businesses.
“This is good practice at any time of year—for your own property, your neighbours, and your community. Typically homes that have used FireSmart principles for design and maintenance fair well under fire conditions, and routine maintenance of properties is an important component of this.”
To learn more about being FireSmart in Squamish visit the.
