One of the most common fires we respond to is a fire caused by hot ashes being placed in a box or bag and stored on the back deck. When you clean the ashes from your fireplace or wood burning stove, make sure to place them in a metal container with a tight fitting lid.

Place the container on a non-combustible surface like your concrete garage floor and leave them in the container for at least one week.

At that time they will be safe to discard in the trash.

— Sallie Ross-Filgo, South Lake Tahoe Fire Department