Fairbanks Fire Safety Tip

Over the years Fairbanks Fire Department has responded to many preventable fires in garbage trucks, on decks, and even in residential homes because proper safety precautions were not followed when disposing of ash and charcoal.

Below are some tips on how you can properly dispose of ashes, as well as some pictures from our most recent fire that was a result of someone NOT following proper safety guidelines.

To properly dispose of ashes or coals, we recommend the following:

1. lf possible, allow ashes and coals to cool in the area where you had the fire for several days. Wood burning fireplaces and stoves are designed to contain ashes safely. However, charcoal grills, when left unattended, must be moved away from combustibles including deck areas.

2. When it is time to dispose of the ashes, transfer them to a metal container with a lid and wet them down. DO NOT use galvanized containers as hot coals on galvanized metal will release noxious fumes.

3. Keep the container outside your home and away from any combustibles until the ashes can be safely dumped into a garden or on the ground. DO NOT store your metal ash container on your deck, in your garage, or in any location where heat can transfer from the hot ashes to nearby flammable items.

4. DO NOT place ashes in cardboard boxes, paper or plastic bags, or any combustible container that could ignite. DO NOT dump ashes into plastic garbage or refuse containers.