Nicer weather will come at a cost for some people this spring.
As days lengthen and the temperature rises, Red Deer Emergency Services sees a spike in fires ignited by discarded cigarettes.
“This is the time of year when we start getting these fires,” said Tim Kivell, assistant fire marshal for Red Deer Emergency Services.
The combination of a smouldering cigarette butt and planter mulch leads to fires every year, he said.
These kinds of fires can be especially sneaky. A cigarette can smoulder for hours before it ignites a fire.
It is not uncommon for the backyard soiree to be long over, the hosts in bed when the fire begins. Planter fires often burn for quite some time before they are noticed.
“The fire extends up the side of the house and doesn’t alert anyone,” he said.
Unlike indoor fires, owners are often not jolted into action by the sight or smell of smoke and smoke detectors are often not triggered.
A moment of carelessness can carry a high price. An Oriole Park home suffered $400,000 in damage in January 2016 in a fire traced to discarded cigarettes.
Disposing of cigarettes properly is a common message from fire departments across the province.
Edmonton Fire Service said 75 fires in 2016 were caused by improperly discarded smoking materials. Since 2010, more than $50 million in damage has been done by smoking materials in that city.
A massive May 2015 fire in an Edmonton apartment building caused $16 million in damage and displaced hundreds of residents.