Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department issued the following announcement on Dec. 16
Spring is in the air today and tomorrow! Days like these are ripe for an improperly discarded smoking material, thrown into mulch or other brush, to spark a significant fire. Many times, these fires have the potential to spread to homes and buildings that are close by.
Improperly discarded smoking material fires are totally preventable! Get in S.T.E.P. (Safety Takes Every Person) With FCFRD This Holiday Season and “Sink It or Soak It!
The members of your Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department want to help eliminate this totally preventable cause of fire and keep Fairfax County safe! If you smoke, or know someone who does, please take a moment to learn how to prevent starting a fire outside.
- Never dispose of cigarette butts in potted planting soil. The soil, when it gets too dry, can become highly flammable.
- Never flick cigarettes into mulch or shrubbery. Dispose of them in a suitable ashtray or bucket with sand.
- Ensure designated outside smoking areas have an appropriate fireproof container, ashtray or bucket.
- Completely douse butts and ashes with water before throwing them away, as they can smolder and cause a fire.
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