Albertans are reminded to practice good barbecue safety this summer.

The summer months are made for barbecuing, but fire officials are reminding people to follow simple safety tips.

"Every year the fire department attends incidents involving barbecues that could have been avoided." said Steve Dongworth, Calgary Fire Chief.

One of the best ways to keep your barbecue safe and effecient is to keep it clean both inside and out. Large deposits of grease and grime can increase the risk of a fire.

In 95% of all barbecue related incidents, propane was the main fuel source, so it is important to inspect both your barbecue and your propane tank before firing up your grill.

"One of the biggest things is making sure your propane barbecue and it's fittings, the hoses, the components that go to the valves that are on the cyclinder, making sure they are in good working order." said Ken Hubbard, Airdrie Deputy Fire Chief for Training and Community Safety.

Five tips for barbecue safety are:

  • always barbecue outside.
  • barbecue well away from your house.
  • open the barbecue lid before lighting.
  • don’t use starter fluid on lit coals.
  • wait 15 minutes before relighting a gas barbecue.

For more on barbecue safety, visit the City of Airdrie website.