Montreal’s Fire Safety Service is launching a new safety awareness program aimed at educating people about the dangers of putting out cigarette butts in flower pots and beds.
According to the service, over $8.4 million in damages has been caused by fires that began in this manner since 2016.
Gardening soil often contains vegetation and chemical fertilizers that are flammable and can ignite if exposed to heat. A cigarette butt crushed into the mixture could continue to burn for four to five hours before igniting.
The danger is even great if the pot or flower bed is exposed to the sun and winds in very hot weather.
