Robotronics Blog Fire Up the Barbie

Having been raised along the coast and within walking distance of the beach, my family loved to barbecue as often as possible. We would fill our hibachi with charcoal, pour on a generous amount of lighter fluid, throw a lit match on top, and voila, an impressive fire would kindle the briquettes to a deep red glow. The trouble was, sometimes the fire was not big enough to start the charcoal. I would, as a 7 or 8 year old, squirt lighter fluid on the small fire to speed things along. Looking back I wonder where my parents were, and how I managed to avoid igniting myself as the fluid streamed out of the can! To help in this outdoor season, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has outlined a few "grilling safety tips."