Tips to help barbecues sizzle safely

Barbecue season is here and many people will be pulling out their grills for family meals today in celebration of Father’s Day. It is important to ensure fire prevention and safety precautions stay top of mind. 

Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service has the following tips for residents:   

• Ensure all burner ports are free of rust, dirt or cobwebs. Use a pipe cleaner or wire to ensure they are clear of any obstructions.
• Check hose and cylinder connections to make sure they are in good condition. To look for leaks, brush a mixture of 50 per cent soap and 50 per cent water onto all hoses and connections and look for bubbles. Never use a match or lighter to check for leaks. Replace, repair or tighten any connections until no bubbles are present.
• Clean out grease traps and keep grill areas free of debris.
• Place the barbecue in a safe area away from combustibles as well as buildings and fences. Radiant heat from a barbecue can damage siding.
• Always light the barbecue with the lid open. Open the valve at the cylinder, turn the barbecue on at the grill controls and then light the burner. If your barbecue is not equipped with an igniter button, insert the flame from a long match or barbecue lighter through the side burner hole. Have the match lit before you turn on the gas at the grill controls.
• Turn off the gas and wait five minutes if the burner does not ignite. Keep the lid open, then try again.
• When using charcoal grills, only use charcoal briquettes designed specifically for that purpose, and charcoal lighting fluids to ignite. Sprinkle the briquettes with lighter fluid and allow it to soak in – wait approximately 10 minutes. Never add fluid after igniting the barbecue.
• Never use gasoline to light a barbecue. 

These are just some of the many safety precautions to ensure that dinner doesn’t go up in smoke while keeping residents and their family safe. For more barbecue and fire tips and prevention, visit vaughan.ca/fire. 

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