Grow-ops are smokin’

A presentation to the Canadian Fire Safety Association in Toronto by the Ontario Fire Marshal’s office explained that illegal marijuana grow operations in converted homes present special risks for firefighters. Marijuana growers often bypass meters to tap into the live main electrical wire creating an electrical hazard, they cut ventilation holes through the floors which increases smoke migration, and there are chemical hazards from fertilizers and pesticides. The growers also often redirect natural gas exhaust vents to the interior of the home to create humidity.