Top 5 Causes of Summer House Fires in Scotland

Top 5 Causes of Summer House Fires in Scotland

Despite your best efforts, house fires can’t always be avoided. With so many potential sources for fire to originate, it can be easy to neglect simple safety measures, which can lead to soot and smoke damage throughout your home. In the summer, whether hosting friends or enjoying a few drinks in the garden, it’s easy to let your guard down and pay less attention to potential fire risks in your home. Here are the most common causes of summer house fires in Scotland you need to be aware of. 

1. BBQ’s [and BBQ gas cannisters]/ Chimineas

Cooking appliances are consistently responsible for the most significant number of house fires in Scotland. In the summer, when the weather picks up, we automatically turn our attention to hosting a BBQ in the garden. While you should undoubtedly enjoy hosting a BBQ, you should be responsible when setting it up. Keep naked flames away from the gas canister and keep a bucket of water or sand close by in case you have to put the barbecue out quickly. Also make sure you wait the recommended 48 hours to allow embers to cool down before you attempt to clean your BBQ grill. Even after this time you must be careful, as moving the ashes around can introduce oxygen and could reignite charcoal, causing damage or even setting fire to your bin. This process also applies when using a chiminea in the garden.

2. Cigarettes

Since 2009, more than 50% of deaths in house fires in the UK have been caused by smoking. Falling asleep with a lit cigarette in hand or a misplaced piece of ash could have devastating consequences. If you smoke in your home, be sure to use deep ashtrays and avoid smoking around particularly flammable objects like your curtains. It’s best to designate a place in your home for smoking, ideally by the window, to reduce the risk of fire breaking out.

3. Garden fireworks. 

What better way to round off a summer garden party than by setting off some fireworks to enjoy with your friends and family? While fireworks can be great fun, if you’re not careful with how you ignite them, you can quickly start a fire. Ensure you remove any clothing from the washing line and set your fireworks up on a flat area in your garden, a safe distance away from the house. If you don’t handle fireworks with care, you can also inflict severe burns on your hands and other body parts. 

4. Candles

Who doesn’t enjoy the wonderful aroma created by a scented candle? Candles set the mood in your home and can help you relax after a long, tiring day at work. But if you fall asleep without extinguishing your candles, you could end up causing a fire, mainly if they’re housed in unstable holders or are on a surface on which pets or children can knock them. Make sure your candles have a suitable base and won’t be able to fall on the carpet.

5. Working from home [electronics/sockets] 

If you find yourself working from home, you have to be careful when it comes to charging your devices simultaneously. Overloaded extension cords and substandard quality chargers account for many fires every year and are extremely dangerous if you leave them unattended. It’s best to charge your electronic devices when you’re at home and make a habit of switching the power off at the mains socket before you go out.

If you do happen to have a house fire in Scotland this summer, get in touch with us at Rainbow International Glasgow East, for a professional service to help you with house fire restoration. Whether you need our help to treat soot and smoke damage or other fire and water damage caused by accident, be sure to call Rainbow International on 0141 204 1235 for advice and assistance.