Fire Safety for Debris Burning

Downloads

Download Fire Safety for Debris Burning

<- Go Back

Careless debris burning can quickly cause a large, out of control fire. Extreme caution should be taken with all potential sources of wildfire ignition. Wildfires can result in costly damage and lost resources, property and lives. Most people never intend to start a wildfire, but even the best of intentions can produce disastrous results when safety precautions aren't taken. Protect your family, property and animals from the tragedy of fire by following these safety tips:
  • Stay abreast of wildfire danger levels and heed warnings and bans on outdoor burning at  http://www.gov.mb.ca/sd/fire/Restrictions/index.html or https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/environment-public-health-and-safety/wildfire-in-saskatchewan/fire-bans
  • Avoid burning trash, leaves and brush on dry, windy days.
  • Check to see if weather changes are expected. Postpone outdoor burning if shifts in wind direction, high winds or wind gusts are forecast.
  • Before doing any burning, establish wide control lines down to bare soil at least five feet wide around any burn barrels and even wider around brush piles and other piled debris to be burned. The larger the debris pile, the wider the control line that is needed to ensure that burning materials won’t be blown or roll off the pile into vegetation outside the line.
  • Stay with all outdoor fires until they are completely out.
  • Keep water and a shovel ready in case your fire should attempt to spread.
  • Burn household trash only in a burn barrel or other trash container equipped with a screen or metal grid to keep burning material contained.
  • Never attempt to burn aerosol cans as heated cans will explode. Flying metal may cause injuries and the explosion may scatter burning material into nearby vegetation and cause a wildfire.
Fire Safety for Debris Burning