Vt. officials warn of fire danger from ashes
MONTPELIER, Vt.—Vermont fire safety officials are warning people to be careful when disposing of ashes from woodstoves and fireplaces.
The Vermont Division of Fire Safety says there have been a number of recent house fires that were caused by wood ashes that had not been properly disposed of.
Fire Safety Director Michael O'Neil says people have placed wood stove ashes in plastic garbage containers, paper bags or a cardboard box and then placed them on wooden porches.
He says wood ashes retain enough heat to ignite other combustible materials for several days.
Ashes should be disposed of in metal container that can be tightly closed. Douse them with water, place the closed container away homes and combustible materials and leave them in the container for several days before disposing of them.
