Helpful Tips for Personal & Community Awareness and Safety

 Personal Home Preparation and Safety o Noxious Weed Prevention o Safe Fire Place/Wood Stove Ash Disposal o Wildfire Home and Property Safety o Disruption/Hazard Planning o Preparing an Emergency Go-Bag

Treat all ashes/coals as hot, even when you think they had time enough to cool!

Page 1 of 3

Wood Ash Disposal Safety Coals and ashes from fires can remain hot enough to start a fire for days or even weeks after you think 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. If a layer of ashes is deep enough to come into contact with the fireplace or woodstove grate it can burn out resulting in a much shorter life span than normal, and reduce the volume of wood that can be placed in the fireplace or wood stove.

Treat all ashes and coals as hot, even when you think they had time enough to cool.

One cord of wood produces about 50 pounds of ash.

The improper disposal of ashes from fireplaces and woodstoves causes wildland and structural fires. Wood ashes retain enough heat to ignite other combustible materials for several days. High winds can uncover still-hot embers and start a wildfire. How to cool down wood ash completely and prevent hot wood ash ignitions  DO wait 24 hours after the last fire burned in the fireplace to give time for the ashes and any remaining pieces of wood to cool down. During winter months when wood fires may be constant or with little downtime between fires, it is especially important to handle wood ashes safely.  DO keep ashes in a metal container that can be tightly closed with a metal lid.  DO teach other family members about the dangers associated with hot ash disposal.  DO NOT dispose of ashes in paper, plastic or cardboard containers.  DO NOT dump loads of wood ashes into one pile. The pile can retain heat and insulate embers for long periods of time.  DO NOT assume the ashes are cold and pour them onto the ground or into a hole. Leaves can blow onto them or the wind can stir up sparks.  DO NOT place ashes in a dumpster. Hot ashes could ignite a fire with material already in the dumpster.  DO NOT store your metal ash container on your home’s deck, in your garage or in any location that may allow heat to transfer from hot ashes to nearby flammable items.

Page 2 of 3

Wood ash, once completely cooled, can safely be dumped. To properly dispose of hot ashes, pour ashes into the metal container and soak with water. Place the metal lid securely on the container. Put the closed container outside your home away from and off of combustible materials. Store ashes in the covered container for several days and stir around to ensure ashes are uniformly cool to the touch before dumping. Be aware that utilizing this method will limit the life of metal container due to rust if left for prolonged periods.

More Fireplace Safety Tips  Have your chimney inspected annually, and cleaned as necessary, by a professional chimney sweep to ensure it is clear of obstructions and creosote.  Repair any cracks in your chimney and fireplace.  Use fireplace screens to keep sparks and fire debris inside the fireplace.  Do not use an accelerant to start a fire.  Ensure the fire is completely out before going to bed or leaving the house.  Make sure the area around the fireplace is clear of all combustibles (Three feet away is a good rule).  Keep all children and pets a safe distance from fireplaces.  Install both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.  Keep a fire extinguisher on hand.  Observe all safety precautions when using outdoor fireplaces they can be just as dangerous as indoor units.

Page 3 of 3