A grill grease fire or a grill flare-up can be pretty scary when it occurs. Most people are usually caught unawares, which increases their chances of getting hurt by the gas grill fire.
Gas grill flare-ups may seem like a cause for alarm but actually, they are not as serious as you may think, provided you are well prepared to handle them when they happen.
What Exactly Is A Gas Grill Grease Fire?
Gas grill flare-ups refer to temporary upsurges of fire that result from fat dripping on the grill that’s filled with hot coals.
These are a normal part of grilling and something they shouldn’t be put out. The best option to deal with a gas grill fire is to simply move the food to a no flare-up grill grate.
Gas grill flare-ups are a nasty thing, and they come on quickly, which poses a direct risk to the cook. The bursts of fire can also be intense depending on what caused them.
In most cases, the gas grill fire tends to occur as soon as the food is placed on the grill, or as soon as it’s flipped.
Dealing With Gas Grill Flare-Ups
There are two main ways of dealing with a gas grill fire;
The Two Zoned Method
This happens when you have a two-zoned gas grill fire. What you do to control the flare-up is to move the flame-producing food away from the fire and onto the no flare-up grill grate.
Once the gas grill flare-up subsides, you can move the food back onto the coals and then carry on cooking.
Keep a close eye on the food to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.
The Cover-and-Wait Method
If the gas grill fire is not two-zoned, it means that the flames are just too dangerous for you to dive in and control. Therefore, the cover-and-wait method works best.
You are going back to the theory that the fire requires oxygen to survive and covering it up will effectively extinguish it due to lack of oxygen.
Here’s What You Shouldn’t Do During A Gas Grease Grill Fire
Now, whatever you do, no matter how much advice you have received about gas grill flare-ups is to NEVER USE WATER.
Never squirt water on the gas grill fire. This is all about the oxygen theory. The one part of oxygen in the water will feed the fire harder and then dampen it. This will make the situation more dangerous than it was originally.
Finally, always ensure that you have a fire extinguisher when cooking on the grill as anything can happen.
For more on how you can manage your grill and control any gas grill flare-ups, contact the grill experts – Grill Tanks Plus+.