Fire Prevention and Education

Every year, people and property in Ontario are threatened by wildland fires. Many of these fires occur in wildland-urban interface zones. These are the areas where homes, cottages and subdivisions are built into the forest landscape. 

Are you wildfire ready?

• Prepare, update and practice your emergency plan and ensure everyone in your household is included;
• Have a 72-hour emergency kit ready with the essentials needed to sustain you and your family for at least three days;
• Test smoke alarms and make sure you have one on every level of your home and outside of all sleeping areas;
• Remove any fire hazards in and around your home, such as dry branches, leaves and debris;
• Know how to turn off utilities;
• Make sure your vehicle has fuel at all times;
• Download and register for the Voyent Alert app for location-based updates; and
• Be informed of weather conditions, advisories and potentially triggering weather conditions.

Resources

• Be FireSmart - Information from the FireSmart program on how to protect your property from wildland fires
• Forest fires - Information about the current forest fire danger, forest fire activity and fire restrictions across the province
• Provincial Restricted Fire Zone Hotline: 1-888-258-8842
• Government of Canada weather forecasts and alerts
• Wildfires – Get Prepared
• Wildfires and Health - Tips from the Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit 
• Smoke forecasts and health risks: FireSmoke Canada

Heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires in Ontario.  

• Ensure woodstoves, fireplaces and fireplace inserts are installed by a qualified technician according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• Have your heating system, vents and chimneys inspected and cleaned annually by a qualified service technician.
• Ensure all outside heating vents are not blocked.

• Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every storey of your home. Test them every month.

Heating Equipment Reminders

Lithium ion batteries are found in many everyday devices and safety around these strong power supplies is important to maintaining a safe environment. This can be done by:

• Identifying devices in your house that use L.I. batteries;
• Ensuring you L.I. Batteries are kept at room temperature, away from flammable objects, and not your pillow, on your bed, or on a couch;
• Follow manufacturer instructions, including only using the charger the device came with and not charging when device is at full charge;
• Monitoring any change in: odor, change in color, too much heat change in shape, leaking, or odd noises; and
• Proper disposal by NOT put lithium-ion batteries in the trash but instead take them to a battery recycling location or contacting your community for disposal instructions.

Lithium Ion Battery Tip Sheet

Safety Tips

• Propane and charcoal BBQ grills should only be used outdoors.
• The grill should be placed well away from the home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
• Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grill area.
• Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill.
• Never leave your grill unattended.
• Always make sure your gas grill lid is open before lighting it.

Charcoal Grills

• There are several ways to get the charcoal ready to use. Charcoal chimney starters allow you to start the charcoal using newspaper as a fuel.
• If you use a starter fluid, use only charcoal starter fluid. Never add charcoal fluid or any other flammable liquids to the fire. 
• Keep charcoal fluid out of the reach of children and away from heat sources.
• There are also electric charcoal starters, which do not use fire. Be sure to use an extension cord for outdoor use.
• When you are finished grilling, let the coals completely cool before disposing in a metal container.

Grilling Safety Tip Sheet

Every year thousands of seasonal residents arrive in Muskoka to enjoy the summer country living at the cottage. During that time, the attention to "Fire Safety" is essential in order to enjoy the holidays without any unfortunate incident. The following information has been developed by the Bracebridge Fire Department in order to assist you in understanding and reminding you of the many safeguards to prevent any incidents involving fire.

• If you discover fire, Don't Wait, Call 911 IMMEDIATELY and ensure that everyone is out of the cottage and safe.
• It is the LAW in Ontario to always have a working smoke alarm on every floor level of your cottage.
• Ensure that you have a Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detector in your cottage.
• Always have a working fire extinguisher available when performing any work at the cottage that involves open flame.
• Ensure that you always comply with the "Open Air Burning Policy" of your municipality.
• Check before leaving the cottage, ensure that all electrical appliances are unplugged.
• Avoid any candles or open flames in the cottage during any power interruptions.
• Ensure that propane bottles are not stored indoors. Propane BBQ safety is always important.
• Never use a fuel fired space heater inside a tent or small confined space.
• Keep your cottage road Emergency Address Number clearly visible.
• If a fire incident occurs, ensure that a person is at the road to direct emergency crews.
• Keep individual driveways clear of obstructions. Please review the emergency vehicle access requirements section.
• Keep waterways accessible for fire fighting purposes.
• Have a "Fire Escape Plan".
• Keeping these Fire Safety tips in mind will help you enjoy your valued time at the cottage in Muskoka.

Remember that Private Access Roads that lead to and from your cottage should be kept clear and free of snow in the winter, as well as obstructions from branches and fallen trees in the summer. This will determine the type and size of Emergency Vehicles that can access your property.

Accessibility for the Bracebridge Fire Department and their vehicles during any emergency is important and inaccessible roads will determine the level of fire protection that you receive.

It is the responsibility of the cottage owner to ensure access on privately maintained roads for Emergency Vehicles.

Access should be maintained to a minimum of 6 metres (20 feet) wide by 4 metres (13 feet) high. Also keep in mind that today's emergency vehicles can be quite heavy and require that road beds, bridges, and other structures are to be designed to support these loads.

Most of all, REMEMBER, if we can't get there - we can't help you!