Outdoor cooking during wildfire season can be enjoyable and safe when you take the necessary precautions. By following these tips, you can help prevent unintentional ignition, reduce the risk of wildfires, and ensure the safety of yourself, your loved ones, and the environment. Stay informed, be responsible, and prioritize safety when enjoying outdoor activities.
- Make sure to select a safe location for outdoor propane and charcoal BBQs/grills and have a designated cooking area. Keep your cooking area clear of dry vegetation, leaves, and debris, which can easily catch fire.
- Before you start cooking inspect your outdoor cooking equipment and make sure to remove grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill. This will help prevent fires in/on your cooking equipment.
- Keep Children and pets at least 3 ft away from the designated cooking area and outdoor cooking equipment.
- Always have a readily available water source within reach when cooking outdoors. A garden hose, a bucket of water, or a spray bottle work well. An appropriate and maintained fire extinguisher will also work. These simple precautions can save lives and prevent fires from becoming uncontrollable.
- Never leave your cooking unattended, especially when using open flames or hot coals. Sparks can easily fly and ignite nearby materials, so stay vigilant and have a designated person responsible for fire safety.
- When you have or are finished grilling, let the coals cool completely before disposing in a metal container. Make sure they are fully extinguished before disposal to prevent smoldering embers from starting a fire in a designated fireproof container, such as a metal bucket with a tight-fitting lid. Place the container outside and away from anything that can burn and never empty coals directly into a trash can.
For more information on being Wildfire Ready please visit SRCity.org/WildfireReady and to download a Grilling Safety Tip sheet please click HERE