By Sallie Ross-Filgo

One of the most common fires we respond to is a fire caused by hot ashes being placed in a box or bag and stored on the back deck.

When you clean the ashes from your fireplace or wood-burning stove this fall, make sure to place them in a metal container with a tight fitting lid. Place the container on a non-combustible surface like your concrete garage floor and leave them in the container for at least one week. At this time they will be safe to discard in the trash.

Sallie Ross-Filgo works for the South Lake Tahoe Fire Department.