We’ve put together a few friendly reminders below:
Barbecues
Please do not attempt to have barbecues on your balcony. Your balcony is a small and unsafe space for a barbecue, and there is extra risk that smouldering debris will float down to other levels of your building. It’s also a good idea to check your tenancy agreement – it may not allow you to use a barbecue in your communal gardens and your neighbours may not appreciate it.
If you have your own garden, make sure you position your barbecue on level ground and keep it away from anything that may catch fire (sheds, fences, trees and buildings). Make sure you keep your children, pets and garden games away from the barbecue and have a bucket of water or sand nearby to use in an emergency.
Aerosols and glass
Don’t leave aerosols on windowsills as they can explode and cause fires in the heat. Did you know that mirrors or glass beads in direct sunlight can also cause fires? If you feel like you have a lot of items in your home that are a fire risk, close your curtains or blinds to prevent fires.
Bonfires
If you’ve been clearing out sheds, garages and so on you might be tempted to burn larger rubbish items on bonfires. Please be aware that during the hot, dry weather bonfires can easily get out of hand. It’s also important to consider your neighbours and community - the smoke from your fire can affect people with breathing difficulties, or simply make their homes smell of smoke. You may also need to check local regulations in your area as some local authorities do not allow bonfires.
Further information
To see how to keep your home cooler during the heat please visit our website.
You can also find more fire safety tips and our top five smoke alarm tips to keep your home and family fire safe.