Fire-safe at home
Weed burners have become increasingly popular lately. Unfortunately, they are also a frequent cause of fires. Using a naked flame during a hot, dry spell is asking for trouble. Since the start of spring, we have seen at least one fire every week caused by a weed burner.
At least one fire every week caused by a weed burner!
Recent incidents
2023 – June – Garden shed in Nieuwpoort goes up in flames because of a weed burner. Source: KW
2023 – June – Police urge caution after fire caused by a weed burner: “People don’t always think about it”. Source: Nieuwsblad
2023 – June – Burning off weeds leads to a dangerous situation in Brakel-Everbeek. Source: Nuus
2023 – June – Take great care when burning off weeds. A resident of Lavendelstraat was doing exactly that yesterday afternoon when his garden shed suddenly caught fire. The fire brigade arrived on the scene and managed to limit the damage. Source: Internetgazet
2023 – June – A loud bang rang out on the Gellenberg in Lubbeek on Monday evening at around 6.20 pm. A local resident had tried to change the gas bottle of a weed burner, with bad consequences. Source: Leuvenactueel
2022 – June – Weed control sets a meadow next to a station platform in Zingem on fire. Workers commissioned by Infrabel were clearing weeds on the platform of the railway station using a gas burner. The flame spread to an adjacent meadow, where it quickly took hold in the long, bone-dry grass. Source: HLN
2022 – June – “A fire broke out at the side door of the church. Apparently, council workers had been using a weed burner there. The flame got under the door into the accumulated dust and started a fire. Fortunately, the fire brigade was on the scene in no time and prevented worse.” Source: Nieuwsblad
2022 – June – Burning off weeds goes wrong. On Friday morning, an employee of the city of Roeselare accidentally started a fire in the front garden of a house on Groenestraat in Roeselare. He was burning off weeds near the cemetery, but things went wrong. Source: HLN
2022 – May – On Friday afternoon, the Diksmuide/Leke fire brigade had to tackle a fire in the back garden of a house on Streuvelstraat in Keiem. Four wooden fence panels had caught fire after sparks jumped across while weeds were being burnt off. Source: Nieuwsblad
2022 – May – For the second time in a week and a half, the Brakel fire station was called out to Michelbeke. Once again, a fire started in a spot where the council had cleared weeds with a gas burner earlier that day. Bark in a flower bed tended by the Bloemencomité Michelbeke along the Meierij began to smoulder on Wednesday at around 3 pm. Source: Nieuwsblad
2022 – May – A yew hedge by the boarding school building on Groenstraat in Brakel caught fire on Monday. Two metres of the hedge were blackened. The fire briefly spread to a pleached lime tree, but never threatened any building. Council workers had spent the whole day clearing weeds on Groenstraat with a weed burner. Source: Nieuwsblad
2022 – April – On Thursday morning, a small fire broke out during grounds maintenance next to building B of the PXL campus on Elfde Liniestraat in Hasselt. The buildings were never at risk. The fire was under control before the Zuid-West Limburg fire brigade arrived. Source: Nieuwsblad
2022 – April – A garage and an old car were completely gutted by fire in Zonnebeke this afternoon. The wooden garage caught fire while an 81-year-old man was removing weeds with a gas burner. Source: VRT NWS
2022 – April – In Overijse, a weed burner caused a fire this afternoon. The hedge caught fire and went up in smoke almost entirely. Part of the house was also damaged by the fire. Source: Facebook
2022 – April – In Retie, a hot tub caught fire after a resident tried to burn off weeds in the garden. The hot tub was badly damaged, but nobody was injured. Source: VRT NWS
2022 – April – Last weekend, a lot of equipment went up in flames at a plumber’s on Kerrebroekstraat in Aalst. The fire was started accidentally by a neighbour of the business who was removing weeds with a weed burner. After the man’s garden caught fire, the blaze spread to some of the company’s materials, including polystyrene and plastic. A trailer and a garden shed were also damaged. Source: VRT NWS
2022 – March – On Sunday at around 11 am, a hedge caught fire on Spechtstraat in Ninove. Resident Benny Decoq (52) was clearing weeds with a weed burner when the hedge suddenly went up in flames. Source: Nieuwsblad
Looking after your garden (fire-)safely
Using a naked flame during this hot, dry spell is asking for trouble. In almost every case there is flammable material nearby: shrubs, grass, leaves, hedges, a garden shed, a carport, a garage… Safe conditions can very rarely be guaranteed. Wind can also have a dangerous effect when you use a weed burner.
You don’t need flames to get rid of weeds. There are plenty of other ways to clear your garden of weeds safely.
How to remove weeds safely
You can pull weeds out by hand.
You can remove weeds with a rake.
You can remove weeds with a weed brush.
You can remove weeds using steam.
You can kill weeds with the hot water left over from cooking spaghetti or potatoes.
You can also leave the weeds where they are and enjoy the insects they attract.
You can find more tips at www.leefbrandveilig.be.
For more information about this article: peter.van.rossum@oscare.be – 0478 65 44 03