Only you can prevent wildfires

It’s taken me days to fully recover from this past weekend in Dallas, so I apologize for the radio silence on the blog postings. But I’m breaking my silence to pass along some very serious fire safety tips from UT athletics. This message goes out to all tailgaters. Let’s beat the hell out of O(s)U, but let’s be smart at the tailgate. Hook ‘Em!

Although Austin and the Central Texas area received rain this past weekend, it was not enough to end our current drought. In light of the ongoing drought and recent severe fires, we would like to remind all UT fans of safety protocols that you should follow when grilling or cooking on campus. We want you to enjoy your tailgate, but be safe and practice good fire safety to ensure that all UT fans and the campus remain safe from fire.

Hook ‘em, Horns!

Barbeque Grills, Smokers, and/or Deep Fryers
• Prohibited inside buildings/garages or within 25 feet of buildings
• Flammable vegetative material must be a minimum of six inches away from any heating surface.
• Must have proper lids or tops and keep the fire completely enclosed in an approved fire box to prevent the spread of fire
• Cannot block pathways in and out of buildings and must be 50 feet from any fresh air intakes or ten feet from HVAC intakes

Additional General Safety Tips
• Use only enough charcoal to cover the base of the barbeque to a depth of 2 inches.
• Never use gasoline to light charcoal.
• Never add lighter fluid to a burning fire.
• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Dispose of hot coals properly. Douse them with plenty of water and stir the coals to ensure they are completely out. Store in a metal container with a lid.
• Never put charcoal in a trash receptacle, bin, dumpster, or plastic, paper or wooden container.

Propane
• Maximum size of cylinder is 20 lbs. and only one spare cylinder may be stored at least 10 feet from the cooking area
• If you smell gas or suspect a leak, shut off your cylinder immediately! Do not attempt to manually light the grill.
• Inspect the unit and cylinder for cuts, gouges, dents, or rusting and repair as needed.

Tents
• If tents are used in an area with outdoor cooking, the tents must have a UL approved Fire Resistive Rating.
• Tents must be completely open on all sides.