Preventing Outdoor Fires

Never park your car or truck over a pile of leaves.  The heat from the vehicle's catalytic converter or exhaust system can ignite the leaves below.  The resulting fire could destroy your vehicle.

Flammable liquids should not be stored in inside the home or in an attached garage or shed. This includes any unused fuel still in the fuel tank. Store this equipment away from your home or drain excess fuel out of the tank before storing. This simple safety precaution will help prevent accidental fires from escaping fuel vapors.

Remove fuel from lawn mowers before storing them for winter.

Contact your utility company if trees or branches are not clear of power lines. Prune back trees, and rake up leaves and debris. If you live in an open area with a lot of natural vegetation, consider creating a defensible fire zone around your home. Prune the bottom branches from trees and remove shrubs and trees within 20 feet of your home.

Don’t store cardboard boxes, paper or other flammable materials in the backyard. These materials provide ready fuel for a fire and all it takes is one spark.

Heating your Home

Central Heating

• Get your central heating system cleaned, inspected and serviced by a certified heating, venting and air conditioning (HVAC) contractor every year before using it.
• If you have a gas heater, make sure that you have a sufficient quantity of fully functioning CO alarms installed in your home.
• Keep all flammable materials away from your furnace.  This includes, clothing, paint products, toxic materials, cardboard and more.

Fireplaces and Woodstoves  

• Have heating appliances serviced and chimney flues examined for defects.
• Have fireplaces and fireplace dampers checked.
• Fireplaces should be equipped with an appropriate screen or glass enclosure to prevent sparks from flying out.
• Wood burning stoves should be examined and the flue and chimney checked for creosote buildup.  Creosote is a deposit from smoke that can build up in a chimney and can start a fire.
• Use only seasoned woods, and avoid soft woods like Pine, etc.
• Never use a flammable liquid to start a fireplace.
• Never overload the hearth with wood or artificial logs, the resulting fire may be too large for the unit.
• Put all ashes outdoors and away from the house in a metal container.

Space Heaters

• Make sure that any space heaters are surrounded by at least three feet of empty space.
• Never place clothing or any other objects on a space heater to dry.
• Do not place space heaters near furniture or drapery.
• Turn space heaters off when you leave the house or go to bed.
• Avoid storing any combustible items near heaters.

For More Information

This information is provided by the members of the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs, the Ontario Fire Service, the Ontario Fire and Life Safety Educators (OFLSE) committee and the Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management.  Questions regarding fire education and prevention should be directed to your local fire department.