Deck Fire

Wintergreen Fire Department was dispatched for a possible deck fire on Devils Knob.

At 3:30AM someone on Devils Knob called 911 to report their neighbor's deck was on fire. Crews arrived to find a small fire which was in the process of transitioning from the deck to the home.

The fire was started by ashes which were placed in a plastic container. The property owners know plastic can't be used for hot ashes. The issue is, how long can ashes remain hot? Much, much longer than you would think. They can smolder for days. The best practice for handling ashes includes a metal bucket with a lid placed on a non-combustible surface.

Had this fire gone unnoticed for 5 additional minutes, the outcome would have been far different. Fortunately crews were able to get the fire extinguished and no injuries were reported.