11 Tips: Only You Can Prevent Outside Fires in Woodbridge

With changing seasons comes a greater risk for outside fires. Dry leaves and branches litter the ground, providing fuel for dropped cigarette butts, camp fire sparks, trash fires and the like to blaze into grass, brush and even wildfires. Once started, these fires can quickly spread to homes and other buildings.

In 2013, according to the National Fire Protection Association, people reported 564,500 outside fires. Around 90 percent of fires are caused by human action, and are therefore preventable.

The Department of Fire and Rescue gives the following tips to prevent an outside fire:

Proper Disposal of Smoking Materials

• DO NOT discard smoking materials such as cigarettes, cigars and lighted

matches into mulch laden landscapes, flower beds, shrubs, bushes,

grassy areas or woods

Landscaping

• Provide a reasonable amount of space between flammable vegetation

and your home or business to create a fire-wise/fire-safe area

• Avoid using highly combustible plants; use fire resistant plants (visit your

local nursery for assistance)

• Remove dead plants, trees and shrubs, wood, debris and low tree

branches

• Clear leaves, pine needles and small branches from rain gutters
• Remove small trees and plants growing under trees; they permit ground

fires to jump into tree crown

• Regularly, trim grass surrounding your home or business (up to 100 feet)
• Stack firewood at least 30 feet from your home
• Provide proper clearance to electric devices, e.g., decorative lights
• Residents should not try to rid their property of debris by burning it. Contact the Fire Marshal’s Office at 703-792-6360 or visit pwcgov.org/fire for burning regulations.

Decorative/Building Materials

• Avoid using materials that burn such as wood.

In addition to these tips, the Department of Fire and Rescue urges residents to purchase a hose for both homes and businesses. In the event of a fire, you can use the hose to saturate the area and prevent further spreading of the fire.

As always, when you see a fire call 911 immediately.

photo via shutterstock