As the weather continues to get warmer, many people are beginning to take advantage and cook outside. However, Perry Fire Chief Chris Hinds reminds outdoor chefs to exercise caution so that they don’t accidentally start a fire.

Particularly with Memorial Day and the unofficial start to summer approaching, the use of grills is rising exponentially, and Hinds offers some fire safety reminders. First and foremost, he emphasizes that you should never leave a grill unattended, whether it’s powered by propane or charcoal, in case flames get out of control. In that same vein, Hinds recommends extinguishing your grill immediately after you’re finished cooking. “When you’re done grilling, make sure that you put your fire out. If it’s a gas grill, don’t just shut the knobs off on the grill. Reach down underneath and turn the tank off as well. In fact, it’s always best to turn the tank off first and let the lines go ahead and burn dry and then shut your nobs off. And if you’ve got a charcoal fire, don’t pull your food off and say, ‘It’ll be okay, we’ll just let that die on down,’ or whatever. Go ahead and take the extra minute to dispose of your ashes and coals that you have left from a grill fire.”

Hinds adds, the fire department has responded to countless fires where embers have blown from an unattended grill onto a deck and caught fire, or worse, an active grill has been blown over by the wind. To learn more about fire safety, click the link below to listen to the recent Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program with Hinds.

https://www.raccoonvalleyradio.com/2019/05/13/lets-talk-dallas-county-5-13-2019-chris-hinds/