Cigarettes second leading cause of structure fires in Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Colorado Springs Fire Department is warning smokers to properly dispose of their cigarettes
Fire predictions show fire danger is just as high as it was back in 2012; when the Pikes Peak Region was devastated by the Waldo Canyon and Black Forest Fires.
“We actually had a really wet time through the spring, it's caused our grass to grow nice and tall, but now it's drying up quickly as we reach temperatures like 96 degrees today,” said Lieutenant Michael Evers with the Colorado Springs Fire Department. "We're quickly seeing things accelerate."
Fire officials fear improperly disposed cigarettes may cause history to repeat itself. Currently, cigarettes are the second leading cause of structure fires in Colorado Springs.
“You see people just throwing them out of cars,” said Lt. Evers. "People are hiking while they are smoking, and they think they put that cigarette out, but when they put it on the ground it catches the sides of trails on fire.”
Recently, the Colorado Springs Fire Department has responded to several "outside-in" fires that start on the decks of properties and make their way into people's homes.
“They’ll be smoking and they’ll put it in an ashtray or a planter outside of the house. Then it will slowly catch the sides of the house on fire until that fire makes its way inside the home," said Evers.
They’ve even responded to fires started by cigarettes on the medians of freeways.
As we approach the 4th of July holiday, officials warn that though cigarettes are legal, they are just as dangerous to our region as illegal fireworks.
“It's just as flammable," said Lt. Evers. "Anything that sits there and smolders...it just takes a gust of wind to push it and cause things to accelerate."
Fire officials want to remind smokers that disposing of cigarettes in an ashtray is only a safe option if you are regularly emptying it. They have seen fires caused by an ashtray full of cigarette buds that caught on fire, after just more was added to the pile.
