July 2019
Last year, it felt like the province was on fire, with smoke choking most of the Lower Mainland. It made most Vancouverites hyper aware of the risk of fire and the far reaching damage it can do. Minimizing the potential for fire on your property is important. Artificial grass in Vancouver is one way to address fire concerns, as the vast majority of artificial turf is fire-resistant.
While many artificial grass manufacturers claim that their products are fire-resistant, the only way to know for sure is to check for independent testing. Once you have confirmed that your artificial turf has passed independent testing, take extra precautions to avoid fire damage to artificial grass.
The two main causes of fire damage to artificial grass in Vancouver are BBQs and cigarettes. A burning coal from a BBQ or a burning ember from a cigarette can damage your artificial turf. While you can limit smoking in your backyard, limiting your BBQ activity can be a little more difficult. Fortunately, you don’t have to ban the BBQ from your backyard, instead just exercise caution.
One way to keep artificial grass in Vancouver looking pristine, ensure you keep your BBQ as far away as possible from your artificial grass. If you keep it at least two metres away and sheltered from the wind, you improve the chances of keeping your lawn safe from fire.
If you want to smoke around your artificial turf, keep two metres back to avoid an ember landing on your lawn. Remember to always safely extinguish your cigarette in an ashtray.
If the worst should happen, the hope is that a fire-resistant artificial turf will limit the spread of a fire, enabling you to safely put it out quickly and efficiently. For example, while artificial grass is fire resistant, it will still melt and singe. It can cause melted patches or larger melted areas. It is even possible that your entire lawn could melt from the heat or flames. Even worse, fire can jump across a synthetic lawn to reach flammable trees, plants, ground cover, structures, and more.
Fortunately, if one or more sections of your lawn melts or suffers from fire damage, artificial grass in Vancouver can be repaired.
Regardless of whether you have real grass or artificial grass in Vancouver, take precautions to ensure your lawn is fire safe. Following government burn bans, ensure fires are fully extinguished, and limit the chance of flying embers starting an unfortunate fire.