Each year, the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service (WFPS) responds to fires started because someone didn’t properly put out a cigarette butt.
These fires can cause serious damage and put people’s lives and homes in danger.
Never put out a cigarette butt in a planter
Never put out a cigarette butt or any other smoking material in a planter pot. Soil in planters often contains dry plant matter that can catch fire. A butt can smoulder for hours without being noticed. When the planter heats up and cracks open, oxygen gets in and the smouldering material can suddenly turn into a fast-moving fire.
This often happens on balconies or in backyards where a fire might not be seen right away. Fire can spread to nearby buildings or homes before you notice it. Because the fire can take hours to start, you might be away or asleep when the fire becomes dangerous for you and your neighbours.
How to safely dispose of smoking materials
You can prevent these fires by putting out smoking materials safely:
- Douse cigarette butts in water and let them cool before putting them in garbage.
- Put butts and used smoking materials in a container filled with water or sand.
- Never throw butts out of car windows or on the ground in parks or green spaces.
- Don’t put butts in planter pots.
- Use a deep, heavy, and fire-proof ashtray made of metal, glass, or ceramic.
- Never throw a cigarette butt over the edge of a balcony. You can’t control where it lands, and it could land on another balcony, a vehicle, a garbage container, or green space.
Throwing cigarette butts out car windows or into grassy areas can lead to wildland fires that spread quickly, damaging homes, parks, and green spaces.
If you see a fire, get to a safe place, stay there, and call 9-1-1.
Our City, Our Podcast
Doug Sinclair, Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service Public Education Coordinator, chats about fire prevention initiatives and tips on Our City, Our Podcast. This episode was released in October 2025.