Controlling Fire Risk Around Your Property | SERVPRO of Hattiesburg

6/16/2023 (Permalink)

Experience a fire in your home? Call SERVPRO of Hattiesburg to help you recover.

Summer has arrived, and we are certainly excited about another beautiful season under the summer sun! While you are mapping out your family fun and planning to make some memories this year, it is also important for you to understand the importance of reducing your risk of a house or property fire. 

Summer activities often carry a moderate level of fire risk, so taking the steps to be responsible around flame can help protect your home. Read on as we explain some key areas to pay attention to this season. 

Be Mindful of Your Grill

Are you the self-proclaimed grill master? If so, you have a unique responsibility of ensuring your equipment is ready to use before firing anything up. 

Be sure that you are checking your gas lines and propane tanks for cracks or dents before lighting your grill, and if you smell something like rotten eggs, do not turn anything on. That smell is a classic sign of a propane leak and needs to be investigated right away. 

If you have a charcoal grill, keep your bag of briquettes far away from your grill to avoid a wandering spark from starting the whole bag on fire. Light it carefully and be sure to collect any ash that falls out of the bottom. 

When you are done grilling, your job is not over! Ensure that your grill is either off or the flames are gone and the charcoal is cold. A fire can easily start back up with smoldering charcoal and the right breeze. 

Your Bonfire Pit 

We can smell the s’mores already! If you like to have bonfires in your backyard, make sure you are choosing an area that is far away from any structures like your house, shed or wood pile. Understand the local burn laws and if the conditions are right for a fire. If it is particularly windy or has been dry for a while, consider waiting until a different day. 

Portable fire pits are also becoming a more common way to enjoy a fire. If you own one of these, don’t ever light yours in a garage, under an overhang, or on flammable or uneven ground. 

Choose a concrete or solid surface, and always stay close by while the flames are going. No matter how you enjoy your bonfire, you need to float your logs and embers when you are done. This ensures that your fire is completely out and won’t start back up once you have gone inside. 

The Benefits of Defensible Spaces 

Taking care of your property is something that you should be doing during every season, but especially during the spring and summer when wildfires are more common. Consider landscaping using defensible space strategies, which means creating a buffer between your property and a potential incoming wildfire.

This can include removing dead or dry yard debris from your property regularly, planting your trees and shrubs in a strategic way, and keeping your gutters and spaces around your home clean and tidy. If you practice proper fire safety as often as you can, your risk of experiencing a devastating house or property fire greatly decreases. 

Are you in the process of recovering after a fire? Contact SERVPRO of Hattiesburg for a full recovery.