Fire department issues mulch warning as P.E.I.'s gardening and BBQ season arrives

It's the beginning of gardening season on Prince Edward Island, and that means many people will be using bark and straw mulch to keep weeds down and moisture in. 

It also means fire departments like Charlottetown's will likely be responding to a few mulch fires over the next several months as temperatures get warmer. 

Kent Mitchell, the city's deputy fire chief, said there have been no fires yet, but the department has responded to a few every week in summers past. 

"It's a highly combustible material, and quite often people use it in gardening applications," Mitchell said. "The issue with that is that it's up against combustible siding, decking, that type of thing." 

The best way to avoid mulch fires is to pick pea gravel or other types of stone as a ground cover, especially near houses. If you do want to use organic varieties based on shredded bark, tree needles or straw, Mitchell has some tips on doing it more safely: 

• Keep mulch at least 45 centimetres away from buildings or structures.
• Make sure it's spread no more than about eight centimetres thick.
• Avoid keeping large piles in your yard because those can overheat on their own.
• If you do have a larger pile, keep it wet by spraying it often with a hose.

Most importantly, though, Mitchell warns against putting any smoking material such as cigarette ends or used matches in or near mulch. 

He cautions Islanders against throwing butts or spent matches out of car windows at places like restaurant drive-throughs, which often have flower beds that include bark mulch.  

Aside from home gardens, it's commonly found outside apartment buildings, businesses and in municipal landscaping. 

Gardening season also means the start of barbecue season, so the deputy fire chief suggests keeping your grill at least 10 feet (about 3 metres) away from buildings and never leaving it unattended. 

Sparks from barbecues can also ignite your mulch, Mitchell pointed out. 

"It's a good gardening tool. It looks nice, but it is combustible, so we just have to keep that in mind," he said. "We certainly recommend just caution with mulch and caution with smoking around mulch."