BOSTON, MA — State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and fire chiefs across the state want to remind building owners, property managers, nurseries and landscaping companies about the proper placement and storage of mulch in order to prevent these types of fires. Ostroskey said, “It’s important for mulch storage piles to be 30’ apart to keep fires from spreading and to place mulch 18” away from the exteriors of all buildings except homes with six or fewer apartments.”
In the past five years (2011 – 2015), there have been 210 fires that started in mulch and spread to buildings. These 210 fires caused one civilian death, one civilian injury, 12 fire service injuries and an estimated dollar loss of $11.2 million. Fires that start on the exterior of buildings are usually not detected early, and by the time they enter the building to trigger a fire alarm, smoke detector or sprinkler system, the fire is already large. Fortunately, many mulch fires are caught and extinguished before spreading to a building or motor vehicle.
Arlington Fatal Fire Destroyed 36-unit Apartment and 6 Cars
The most destructive recent mulch fire in Massachusetts occurred on May 5, 2015 in a large Arlington apartment complex. One man died in the fire started by smoking materials discarded in a mulch bed, which spread to a car, then to a building. Thirty-six apartments and six cars were destroyed. The building had no sprinklers and the estimated dollar loss was $6.7 million.
Keep Mulch 18” Away From Buildings
Here are some tips for property managers and building owners on how to prevent mulch fires:
- Keep wood mulch 18” away from combustible exteriors of buildings such as wood or vinyl siding and decks. Don’t put it right up against the building.
- Use materials such as pea stone or crushed rock for the first 18” as a barrier around the foundation of the building and around gas and electrical meters.
- Provide proper receptacles for smoking materials.
Mulch FireFactor
On the Department of Fire Service’s website, there is a Mulch FireFactor pdf format of Mulch FireFactor – a one-page, 2-sided educational hand-out in both English and Spanish on mulch fire safety and the Fire Code. It can be used by fire departments to educate the community on the regulation and for building managers, landscapers and companies that store and sell mulch, to educate their staff.
Ostroskey said, “Every year, we experience fires large and small started by cigarettes tossed into piles of mulch. Bark mulch is a combustible product that can easily catch fire.” He added, “We are asking smokers to dispose of their smoking materials responsibly in order to prevent fires. Don’t toss cigarette butts into mulch or a pile of dried leaves.”
Containers for Safe Disposal of Smoking Materials
“Businesses that are sprucing up their landscaping should also provide and maintain a safe receptacle for disposing of smoking materials so that patrons won’t start fires by flicking cigarettes into the mulch,” said Ostroskey, “Metal containers with sand are best.”
Massachusetts Fires Caused by Smoking Materials
In Massachusetts during 2015, 2,470 fires were caused by smoking including: 525 structure fires, 30 motor vehicle fires, 1,570 tree, brush or grass fires, 111 trash or rubbish fires,
144 special outside fires, 12 cultivated vegetation or crop fires and 70 unclassified fires. These fires caused 10 civilian deaths, 30 civilian injuries, 38 firefighter injuries and an estimated $32 million in property damage.
State Fire Code on Mulch Application
The Comprehensive Fire Safety Code (527 CMR 1.00, section 10.14.10.4) prohibits the new application of mulch within 18” around combustible exteriors of buildings, such as wood or vinyl but not brick or concrete. Residential buildings with six units or less are exempted from this regulation, but all homeowners may also wish to adopt these safety practices. The regulation applies to all other buildings including commercial properties.
Storage and Manufacturing of Mulch
The regulation (527 CMR 1.00, section 31.3.6.4.3) also has safety requirements for those who store or manufacture mulch. It limits the size of mulch piles and requires a distance of 30-feet between piles and 25-feet from the lot line. Large piles of mulch can easily spontaneously combust with all the heat they generate, so it’s important to be vigilant and employ good housekeeping. The distance between piles prevents a fire from easily spreading to another pile or to a building.
Permits Required to Store 300+ Cubic Yards of Mulch
Permits are required from the fire department wherever more than 300 cubic yards of mulch is produced or stored.
(NOTE: The above press release is from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services.)
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