Keep Summer Safe

7/14/2016 (Permalink)

Soil Embers

Public Service Announcement – Keep Summer Safe

A: Three

Q:  How many fires has your team mitigated in the last year that started in potted plants?

Potting soil is comprised of peat, bark, perlite and coconut coir.  This highly flammable mix can turn a lazy afternoon on a deck to tragedy with the tamping of a single cigarette butt.  If you doubt it go to the Wizard of Oz (or Google) and type in “fire potting soil”.  The picture is not pretty.  

Dry potting soil requires only a tiny catalyst to begin smoldering and this is significantly underappreciated hazard. What’s worse the embers can expand unseen and burn out the bottom of a plastic hanging planter box. 

Avoid tragedy by using ashtrays, keep  your plants watered, use clay pots, keep  combustible material away from plants, and dispose of potting soil carefully.