Mulch is often an essential part of every garden or yard. You can use it to block out weeds from growing and to make your garden look uniform. Mulch, however, is usually made out of organic material. Most often, it is made of wood. Considering that wood can be flammable, is mulch flammable too?
Any form of organic mulch is flammable. This includes wood, pine needles, and straw. It is especially likely to catch fire in hot, dry weather. You can prevent mulch fires by storing the mulch properly and keeping it moist if it is in your garden. Do research to find out which kinds of mulch are most flammable before you use them.
Should your mulch catch fire or start to smolder, put the fire out safely. Be sure to remove the burned or smoking material to keep it from lighting again. To safely dispose of the material, call a local garden center or fire officials for help.
In this article, I will discuss the flammability of mulch. I will go through what causes a mulch fire, how to prevent it, and what you should do if your mulch does catch fire.
Contents
What Makes Mulch Catch Fire?
Mulch is very often made of organic and plant materials. Because of this, it can very easily catch fire. As the mulch decomposes, it can release heat. If stored improperly or not kept moist, this heat may cause it to ignite.
Some inorganic mulch is also made of rubber, and this can ignite easily as well. Rubber conducts heat and can rise in temperature quickly.
Weather can play a large factor. Those who have long periods of warm weather often have gardens and use mulch. However, if the weather is hot and dry it can lead to mulch combustion.
Poor smoking habits contribute to mulch fires. A used cigarette, especially if it is still smoking, can cause problems if dropped into mulch.
This is still a risk even if those who are on the property don’t smoke because people often drop cigarettes outside of their car windows.
Incorrect storage of unused mulch can lead to combustion. Sometimes, mulch is delivered in large quantities and put in a large pile. If the pile is more than ten feet deep, there is a chance of combustion because there is no air circulation.
It would also be difficult to get water all the way through the pile to prevent the fire.
Water mulch as you would the rest of your garden. When watering your plants, be sure to water the mulch around them as well. It does not need to be completely soaked, but some water is necessary. You can also consider getting some fire-resistant plants such as some shrub varieties and hedging roses.
Which Mulch Material is the Most Fire-Prone?
When choosing a mulch to use, you should consider the flammability of each type and whether or not it should be used in your area.
Organic mulches are the most flammable. Within the category of organic mulches, there are some that are more flammable than others. For example, mulches like pine needles or straw are the most flammable.
A lot of this has to with the fact that there is more room for air particles. The air particles allow for oxygen to fuel the fire.
Woodchips are also quite flammable. These are made of wood, so they are made of a material that burns easily. Woodchips are still used for playgrounds, though. However, since the layer of woodchips often isn’t very thick, it poses less of a risk.
Rocks and gravel are best used close to your house. This is because rocks do not catch fire and they can keep the fire from reaching your house. You can also use brick.
Not all inorganic material is fire-resistant. You should be careful when you use things like shredded rubber. Though it can be used as mulch, it heats up very quickly. It may catch fire or cause surrounding plants to catch fire because of this.
How to Prevent Mulch Fires?
Even if you choose your mulch carefully, there are still some precautions you should take. Accidents can happen, and it is best to protect yourself and your property just in case. Here are some steps you can take to keep your mulch safe.
Step 1: Be a smart smoker. Whether at home or out and about, you should be careful when you dispose of your cigarettes. Never dispose of them outdoors, especially in yards or near playgrounds. It is bad for the environment in the first place, but can also cause fires.
Step 2: Watch out for electricity. Wires and lights can also cause fires, whether there is a spark or the lightbulb gets too hot. To prevent this, always use the manufacturer’s instructions. You can also space out your electrical wiring so that it is not near any mulch or organic material.
Step 3: Don’t use mulch close to the house. Make sure that your mulch is at least six inches to a foot away from your house in case of a fire. It may also be a good idea to keep mulch beds a few feet away from each other. That way, if one catches fire, it won’t spread to the other as easily.
Step 4: Gravel and rock are your friends. They don’t combust like other kinds of mulch do. Rock and gravel should be used closer to the house, but especially around your gas meter, any electrical plugs you may have, or other flammable parts of the structure.
Step 5: A thin layer of mulch is ideal. A thicker layer of mulch can lead to an increased possibility of combustion. Your mulch beds should only be two to four inches deep.
Step 6: Water your mulch. If possible, you should be watering your mulch in the drier months, especially when it gets hot outside. Of course, city policies and droughts can prevent this. But you should try to keep the mulch moist when you get the opportunity.
How to Store Mulch?
Storing mulch is just as important as using it safely in your garden. Especially in large quantities, it can still be a fire hazard or unsafe in other ways. These are a few tips to help you store your mulch in a safe way.
Tip 1: What should you do with bagged mulch? When you get mulch from a garden store, it often comes in sealed plastic bags. If you are only storing the mulch for a few weeks, it is perfectly okay to leave it in the bag for easy storage.
You should poke some holes in the bag to let the mulch breathe a little, to prevent mold from growing.
Tip 2: Mulch in bulk should be spread out. Sometimes, mulch can be bought in bulk, usually by the yard. Even though it isn’t bagged, it is still relatively easy to store. Any leftover mulch you have can be moved to another area and covered.
You should also place a tarp underneath. Spreading the mulch out allows for air circulation and creates thinner layers.
Tip 3: Cover it with a tarp. If your mulch is being stored in bulk, you should use a roof tarp or something similar to cover it.
The tarp will keep it dry from the rain so that it doesn’t get soaked. It can also keep the sun off of the mulch. This will prevent it from heating up too quickly and combusting.
You can also anchor the tarp with rocks. This will keep the tarp from blowing away, which will protect the mulch in a storm.
5 Tips for Fire Safety with Much
There can be quite a lot to keep in mind when it comes to fire safety. It can be hard to take in all at once, so here are some of the most important things to remember.
Keep the mulch moist in your garden, especially in hot, dry weather. As mentioned before, this is the most important thing you can do, and certainly the easiest. Hot and dry weather can occur at different times depending on where you live. During those times, you should keep a closer eye on watering the mulch.
Use inorganic material closer to the home. In the event that there is a fire, you should keep organic material at least two feet from the house or any other flammable structure. This will help to ensure that the fire does not spread and cause more damage.
If you need something to cover the ground or make the area close to your house looking nice, you can use rocks or brick.
Don’t dispose of any smoking materials or cigarettes in or near the mulch. Cigarettes should never be disposed of near flammable material. This goes for anything else that may be smoking or burned as well, no matter what the reason. Put out the smoking material completely, then dispose of it in a safe manner.
Be aware of what kind of mulch you are using and what is least likely to combust. There has been a great deal of research done on this topic. A quick search on the internet will lead you to simple answers and more complex ones. It depends on what you’re looking for. There are even experiments with scientific results for you to look through.
Store your mulch properly. If you have bulk mulch, make sure not to leave it in deep piles. Do your best to spread it out and keep it only a few inches deep. Use a tarp to protect it from the sun and rain.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mulch & Fire
How to Properly Use Mulch in Your Garden?
Do your research on types of mulch. Which kind is most flammable? What other plants are you using around it? Use bigger plants if you can to keep the mulch out of the sun on hot days. There are also some varieties of shrubs that are fire-resistant.
How to Water Your Mulch Correctly?
Turn your mulch over and water it once a week. It doesn’t need to be a lot, but the amount of water can vary depending on the time of year and the weather.
For example, August may be time to water more frequently in some areas, since the air is drier. It should be enough to keep the mulch moist throughout the week. If the weather around you is hotter and drier, water it every few days.
How to Put Out A Mulch Fire?
Use water to put out the fire if it is small enough for you to extinguish on your own. If you can’t extinguish it yourself, call the fire department.
Once this is done, remove the smoking or burned material to keep it away from other materials. This way, if it reignites, it won’t spread to anything else.
How to Dispose of smoking materials correctly?
Call a local garden center! They are likely to have fire-proof receptacles for you to dispose of the material. They can also advise you on getting the material to them so that you don’t put yourself at risk. Local fire officials may also be able to help.
Wrap Up
The idea that mulch can catch fire can be a scary one. Luckily, there are many ways to prevent it and keep everything safe. Water your mulch when you can and store leftover mulch properly. If you do your research on which mulches are best to use, you should be just fine.