Smoking Fire Safety

Smoking is the #1 cause of fatal home fires in Ontario. Alcohol is a factor in many smoking related fires.  Here are some tips to help prevent a smoking fire:

• Encourage smokers to smoke outside. Extinguish cigarettes in metal container, not in plant pots or on the ground
• Don’t extinguish cigarettes in plant pots. They often contain peat moss, shredded wood & bark that can easily ignite
• Garages burn too! If you smoke in the garage extinguish cigarettes in metal containers
• Never smoke in bed
• Never smoke where medical oxygen is used
• Butt out cigarettes in large, deep ashtrays that can’t be knocked over
• Empty cigarette ashes into a metal container -not the garbage can-and put it outside
• Before you throw out cigarette butts & ashes make sure they are out. Put in water or sand
• If people have been smoking in your home, check behind chair & sofa cushions for cigarette butts before going to bed