Be Wary Of Fire Danger When Grilling, Cooking Outdoors

9/21/2021 (Permalink)

While grilling and outdoor cooking are among the great pleasures of summer, they also pose fire dangers.

Taking a few precautions when cooking or grilling outdoors can prevent unwanted fires. Here is a list of fire safety tips for grilling/cooking outdoors. 

General

• During periods of high fire danger, consider alternatives to outdoor cooking.
• Check for burn bans prior to grilling/cooking outdoors.
• Propane and charcoal barbecue grills should only be used outdoors.
• Place the grill away from your home, deck, eves, and overhead branches.
• Never leave any fire unattended, including fires in barbecue pits.
• Remove any buildup of fats or grease from grills.
• Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grill area.
• Have a water source nearby when cooking/grilling.
• Have a water hose connected to a faucet, uncoiled, and ready to turn on at a moment’s notice. Have a bucket of water near the grill. If no water is available, have a shovel ready to smother any escaped embers with sand/dirt.

Gas grills

• Check for leaks on gas grills prior to use.
• Make sure the gas grill lid is open before lighting it.
• Turn the grill and gas off if the flame goes out and wait at least five minutes before re-lighting.
• If you smell gas while cooking, immediately get away from the grill and call the fire department. Do not move the grill.

Charcoal grills

• Consider using a charcoal chimney starter that allows firing up charcoal without the use of starter fluid. There are also electric charcoal starters, which do not use fire.
• If using starter fluid, use only charcoal starter fluid. Never add charcoal fluid or any other flammable liquids to an ongoing fire.
• Keep charcoal fluid out of the reach of children and away from heat sources.
• Let coals cool completely and dispose of them in a metal container.