For many residents and merchants, summertime means it’s time to plant flowers, and many of them will spend the next few months planting and designing their outdoor spaces. But did you know that black earth, mulch and other similar soil materials are composed of peat, moss and wood chips that are fire hazards if they come into contact with a heat source?

Third annual “Keep Your Butts Out of Flower Pots!” campaign

The “Keep Your Butts Out of Flower Pots!” campaign is in its third year, and aims to raise public awareness of the risks of putting out cigarettes in flower pots. Each year, a number of incidents in which significant damage was caused are linked to cigarette butts that are extinguished in potting soil.

Did you know that there can be a lapse of four to five hours between the time that a cigarette is put out in a flower pot and the time that the first flame appears? This is why Montréal’s fire department urges you to put your cigarettes out carefully.

These incidents can easily be avoided. If you need to put out a cigarette outdoors, use an ashtray that is shielded from the wind and that sits on a stable surface.

Visit our prevention tips page to help you reduce the risk of fire at home.