Safe Charcoal BBQ Grilling: Essential Fire Safety Tips

Charcoal barbecues are popular tools for cooking during the summer. There are, however, a variety of things that can go wrong whenever that much heat is involved. It's important to know how to use a charcoal grill safely so that you can enjoy some well-cooked food without fire danger.

Outdoor Use

• A charcoal barbecue grill should be used on an outdoor patio or terrace. Under no circumstances should a charcoal grill be used indoors because the smoke and the heat create a major fire hazard. Smoke can dissipate when the grill is used outdoors, and a stone or concrete patio or terrace won't catch fire if coals or embers fall on it.

Distance

• Make sure that your charcoal barbecue is far enough away from your home and any other structure so that if an incident does occur the buildings aren't in danger. According to the New York City Fire Department, a 10-foot radius of open space around the grill should be enough to avoid any fire risks. This is also true of other flammable materials that could come into contact with the grill. When in doubt, keep it 10 feet away.

Water

• Keep water on hand in case a charcoal grill needs to be put out in a hurry. A four-gallon bucket or pail of water should be an adequate fire hazard response according to the FDNY, but using a garden hose to spray a fire would do just as well. Instead of water, you might want to buy a chemical fire extinguisher and keep it on hand just in case an emergency crops up.