The hot, dry weather can create just the right conditions for an outdoor fire, and sometimes it’s the most unexpected things that can spark a blaze.
Ed Pereira was shocked to see smoke travelling upwards in his yard. The sun had been beating down and reflecting off his truck’s rim onto a landscaping log.
"We didn't waste a second we got some water on it and just poured it over there," he said, “If we weren’t home we would have had a fire here - dead certain.”
“Fires can start in a lot of very unusual ways that people may not think of,” explained Denise Ziebart, Fire Inspector with Coquitlam Fire and Rescue.
For instance, anything reflective under the right conditions could pose a problem, potentially causing a fire not only outside, but indoors.
You wouldn’t think it, but even a glass coffee pot could serve up more than a hot cup of brew.
“Sunlight was shining through a window and it actually shone right through a glass coffee pot which acted as a magnifying glass and ignited a fire at the back of the coffee machine. So that was very strange,” said Ziebart.
Your car doesn’t have to be a hot rod to start a fire. Hot exhaust on dry grass will do the trick.
And watch out for rocks when mowing the lawn. One spark and the dry grass could ignite.
One of the biggest problems throughout the city is cigarette butts being thrown on the ground. Cigarette butts that are still burning have been to blame for house fires and forest fires around the province.
“Quit tossing them out your windows,” Ziebart said.
Keep your eyes open and be aware of your surroundings. Pick up glass bottles, close the lid on the recycling bins and be aware of where you park. And keep the shades drawn during those hot intense days.
