July 7, 2026

Backyard BBQ catches fire in Glennwilde — here’s 6 tips to prevent it

By Elias Weiss
Jul 31, 2024

No people were injured in a backyard barbeque fire today in Glennwilde.

One Maricopa Fire Department ladder truck responded around 5 p.m. to what was first thought to be a house fire on West Laramie Road.

“A propane tank caught fire on a barbeque grill,” public safety spokesperson Monica Williams said, adding it “doesn’t look like it extended any further.”

“Thankfully, it was out by the time our crews arrived,” Williams said.

Maricopa Fire Department responds to a backyard barbeque fire around 5 p.m. on July 30, 2024. [Brian Petersheim Jr.] — Maricopa Fire Department responds to a backyard barbeque fire in Glennwilde around 5 p.m. on July 30, 2024. [Brian Petersheim Jr.]

Grill fires on residential properties result in an estimated average of 10 deaths, 100 injuries and $37 million in property loss each year. Half of grill fires on residential properties occur from 5 to 8 p.m., according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

Here are six tips from USFA to avoid a grill fire at your home:

Only use your grill outside. Keep it at least 3 feet from siding, deck rails and eaves.
Keep a 3-foot safe zone around your grill. This will keep kids and pets safe.
Open your gas grill before lighting.
Keep an eye on your grill, fire pit or patio torches. Don’t walk away from them when they are lit.
Clean your grill after each use. This will remove grease that can start a fire.
Place the coals from your grill in a metal can with a lid once they have cooled.

Elias Weiss

Elias Weiss earned his journalism degree from the University of Arkansas and began reporting for the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. He later led the Chatham Star-Tribune to a 2019 Best Weekly Newspaper award before working as an investigative reporter for Phoenix New Times and The Daily Beast. In 2023, he became managing editor at InMaricopa, winning top state awards for investigative and narrative reporting. In 2024, he took over as Editorial Director. Elias often discusses politics on KFNX. He currently works with Fox News