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COOL YOUR ! Every year “cold ashes” result in house fires. FACT: Many people don’t realize the length of time required for ashes to cool enough for disposal. and ashes from fires can remain hot enough to reignite and start a fire for many days after the fire is out. The exact amount of time for complete extinguishment and cooling depends on many factors such as how hot the fire was, what was burning, how much unburned remains, etc. BE SAFE: Treat ALL ashes and coals as HOT ashes, even when you think they had time enough to cool. Take care to dispose of them wisely. Your house, deck or garage are unsafe locations for storing ashes while they cool and have been the site of many recent and devastating fires both locally and nationally. Store cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container and keep it outside and at least 10 feet from your home or nearby . alarms double your chances of surviving a fire. Check yours today! For more safety information: Montgomery County Fire Officials www.mcfrs.org/mcsafe Recommend These Top 5 Safety Tips:

DO NOT remove hot ashes from a immediately. When possible, allow ashes and coals to cool in the area DO NOT where you had the fire for dispose of ashes several days. These devices outside on a windy are designed to contain day. The wind can whip their safely. up what may have seemed When like cool , making it’s time to them fiery hot and sending dispose of the ashes, them airborne which transfer them to a metal could ignite nearby container and wet them down. combustibles. Only use an approved metal Store bucket that has a tight fitting metal lid the container to safely store cooled ashes. NEVER OUTSIDE, away dispose of ashes in a paper or from your house and bag, cardboard box, plastic container other structures including NEVER or bucket because it can easily ignite garages, decks, porches, use a vacuum and DO NOT place any other fences, piles or cleaner to pick combustibles in the metal other combustible up ashes. container. materials.

SCOTT E. GOLDSTEIN Montgomery County Fire Chief Call 311 for a FREE Home Safety Check www.mcfrs.org/mcsafe Every year “cold ashes” result in house fires. Many people don’t realize the length of time required for ashes to cool enough for disposal. Even after several days ashes can retain enough heat to reignite and start a fire.NEVER throw out ashes in a plastic garbage can, a cardboard box or paper grocery bag and never use a vacuum cleaner to pick up ashes. FACT: Coals and ashes from fires can remain hot enough to start a fire for many days after the fire is out. The exact amount of time for complete extinguishment and cooling depends on many factors such as how hot the fire was, what was burning, how much unburned fuel remains, etc. BE SAFE: Treat ALL ashes and coals as HOT ashes, even when you think they had time enough to cool. Take care to dispose of them wisely. Your house, deck or garage are unsafe locations for storing ashes while they cool and have been the site of many recent and devastating fires both locally and nationally. Store cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container and keep it outside at least 10 feet from your home or nearby buildings.

Montgomery County Fire Officials Recommend These Top 5 Safety Tips:

DO NOT SMOKE ALARMS dispose of ashes double your chances outside on a windy of surviving a fire. day. The wind can whip up what may have seemed CHECK YOURS like cool embers, making TODAY! them fiery hot and sending them airborne which DO NOT could ignite nearby remove hot combustibles. ashes from a fireplace When immediately. When it’s time to possible, allow ashes and Store coals to cool in the area dispose of the ashes, the container where you had the fire for transfer them to a metal several days. These devices container and wet them down. OUTSIDE, away from are designed to contain Only use an approved metal ash your house and other their heat safely. bucket that has a tight fitting metal structures including lid to safely store cooled ashes. NEVER garages, decks, porches, dispose of ashes in a paper or plastic fences, wood piles or bag, cardboard box, plastic container other combustible or bucket because it can easily materials. ignite and DO NOT place any other combustibles in the metal container.

Isiah Leggett Scott E. Goldstein Montgomery County Executive Montgomery County Fire Chief