It’s the perfect season to fire up the BBQ and invite your friends around for a feast.

To help you get the most out of your grill-up, we’ve put together a handy barbecue fire safety guide. At Jim’s Fire Safety, we want to make sure your summer goes off without a hitch. We are spreading our fire protection expertise around the nation.

While you’re here, take a look at our maintenance services, including fire extinguisher servicing. We have everything you need to keep your home and business safe throughout the year.

 

Barbecue Fire Safety Tips

It might seem like a relaxing way to kick off your holidays, but the humble BBQ can be a risk factor in your backyard. A casual approach to safety, mixed in with alcohol consumption, can be a recipe for a home fire.

Any open fire needs to be treated carefully, including BBQs.

Here are some barbecue fire safety tips that will help you stay safe this summer:

  • check the gas bottle is in working condition and look for damage on the hose and connectors
  • you can do a soap bubble test to check that your gas cylinder isn’t leaking
  • avoid lighting your barbecue in extreme weather conditions — if it is really windy, the flame could travel or something could blow onto your BBQ
  • keep flammable items away from your BBQ and place it a good distance away from furniture, outdoor structures, and areas with a lot of foot traffic
  • make sure you have a functional fire extinguisher on hand — it needs to be tested regularly to ensure it is in working condition
  • don’t leave the grill unattended — supervise pets and children while in use
  • be responsible with the consumption of alcohol around an open flame
  • put your barbecue in a well-ventilated area
  • make sure the fire is completely out and the grill is cool when finished
  • make sure the gas is off at the bottle
  • clean your barbecue regularly — excess fat and oil is very flammable

 

Fire Protection Equipment

If you lose control of a BBQ fire, you need to dial 111 for fire and emergency New Zealand.

Fire protection equipment can help with controlling small fires. If a fire becomes too large, you need to call for help. If you tackle the fire in it’s early stages, you can use a fire extinguisher or a fire blanket.

Fire blankets are designed to deal with cooking fats and oils. They can also be used on a person (and wrapped around them) if they catch fire. For this reason, you should always have a fire blanket installed near any cooking equipment.

 

Which fire extinguisher should be used on BBQs?

The best fire extinguisher to use on a barbecue is the dry powder extinguisher. This has a white band around the top of the cylinder. This type of extinguisher can be used on fires including gas, oils, and flammable liquids.

 

Contact Jim’s Fire Safety Today

Did you like our barbecue fire safety tips? Make sure you share them with your friends and family and stay safe over summer.

If you have any questions about our fire protection blog or any of our services, please get in touch. Call us now or fill in the online form for a free quote.