Fire Blankets for Vehicles, Garages & Recreational Use
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Fire blankets are most commonly associated with kitchens, but small fires can also occur in garages, vehicles, boats, caravans and other recreational environments. Fuels, oils, electrical equipment, batteries, cooking appliances and maintenance activities can all create potential ignition sources.
A fire blanket can provide useful first-response protection when a fire is still small, accessible and can be completely covered. However, it is important to understand its limitations. A conventional fire blanket designed to EN 1869:2019 is not intended to cover an entire burning vehicle or to control an electric-vehicle battery fire.
This guide explains where conventional fire blankets can be useful around vehicles, garages, boats and recreational environments, how they should be stored and when another response is required.
Fire blankets for garages and workshops
Garages combine several potential fire risks in a relatively small space. These may include fuels, lubricants, electrical equipment, chargers, tools, cleaning products and sometimes heating or cooking equipment.
A fire blanket for a garage can be useful for an appropriate small fire involving an object that can be completely covered. It may also provide additional first-response equipment where maintenance or repair work is carried out.
The blanket should be mounted in a visible and easily accessible position, preferably close to an exit rather than immediately next to the most likely source of fire. A person should never have to move through flames to retrieve fire-safety equipment.
Can you keep a fire blanket in a car?
A compact fire blanket can be carried in a car as part of its emergency equipment. However, where the fire blanket is stored in the vehicle is important.
It should be easy to reach without having to unload luggage or access an area affected by fire. Keeping emergency equipment buried underneath luggage in the boot may make it inaccessible when it is needed.
A conventional fire blanket may be suitable for certain small fires involving items in or around a vehicle, provided the fire can be approached safely and completely covered.
A conventional fire blanket is not a vehicle fire blanket
An important distinction must be made between a conventional EN 1869:2019 fire blanket and the much larger specialist blankets used by professional responders to limit fires involving vehicles.
A conventional 1 × 1 m or 1.2 × 1.8 m fire blanket is not designed to cover an entire car. It should never be presented as a solution for a developed vehicle fire.
This distinction is particularly important for electric vehicles. A lithium-ion battery can enter thermal runaway, creating a fundamentally different fire scenario from the small incipient fires for which conventional fire blankets are intended.
Specialist products intended to limit vehicle fires are known as Fire Limitation Blankets. These products, their applications and the relevant DIN SPEC 91489 requirements are treated separately by DVM.
Fire blankets for boats and marine use
Fire blankets for boats can provide useful additional fire-safety equipment, particularly on vessels with cooking facilities, electrical systems or engine and maintenance areas.
Space aboard a boat is often limited and escape options may be more restricted than on land. A small fire can therefore become serious very quickly.
For a galley, a fire blanket can be particularly useful for a small cooking-oil or pan fire. The blanket should be mounted where it can be reached without moving towards the fire and where its operating instructions remain visible.
Marine environments also expose safety equipment to moisture, salt and changing temperatures. The condition of the blanket and its container should therefore be checked regularly.
Fire blankets for caravans and motorhomes
Caravans and motorhomes combine living, cooking, electrical and sometimes gas installations in a compact space. This makes fire safety in caravans and motorhomes particularly important.
A fire blanket can be positioned close to the cooking area, but not directly above the hob or another likely source of fire. Ideally, it should be accessible from the direction of the exit so that the user retains an escape route.
Because storage space is limited in recreational vehicles, there may be a temptation to place the blanket inside a cupboard. A clearly visible wall-mounted position is preferable whenever practical.
Fire blankets for camping and outdoor recreational use
Cooking equipment, portable stoves and BBQs can create fire risks at campsites and other recreational locations. A fire blanket for camping or outdoor cooking may provide useful additional protection for an appropriate small fire.
Outdoor conditions must nevertheless be considered. Wind can cause flames to spread rapidly and may make it difficult to safely approach or cover a fire.
A fire blanket should never encourage someone to attempt to control a fire that is already spreading to a tent, caravan, vegetation, fuel container or other larger combustible area.
What types of fire can a fire blanket be used for?
The deciding factor is not simply where the fire occurs. The fire must still be small enough to approach safely and small enough to cover completely with the blanket.
Examples may include a small cooking fire, a burning item or certain small incipient fires encountered during maintenance activities.
If the fire has spread beyond the object, involves significant quantities of fuel, produces heavy smoke or cannot be approached without risk, evacuation and the appropriate emergency response take priority.
What size fire blanket should you choose?
A 1 × 1 metre fire blanket is compact and suitable for many small-fire applications, including cooking-related risks.
A larger 1.2 × 1.8 metre fire blanket provides greater coverage and is also the size intended where the blanket may need to be used for a person whose clothing is on fire.
The appropriate size should therefore be selected according to the intended application and the risks present.
For a detailed comparison, see What Size Fire Blanket Do I Need?
Storage and accessibility
Whether the blanket is installed in a garage, boat, caravan or other recreational environment, it should remain visible, accessible and protected from damage.
Avoid locations where the blanket may become trapped behind equipment or luggage. On boats and in recreational vehicles, particular attention should also be paid to moisture and contamination.
For general positioning guidance, see Where Should You Keep a Fire Blanket?
Inspection and replacement
A fire blanket may remain unused for many years, but it still needs to be ready for immediate deployment. The container, pull tabs, instructions and mounting should therefore be checked periodically for damage or deterioration.
DVM recommends a documented visual inspection at least annually. A fire blanket that has been used on an actual fire should be replaced.
For detailed guidance, see Fire Blanket Inspection Guidelines .
Choosing a fire blanket for vehicle and recreational environments
The intended application should determine the product selection. A conventional fire blanket can be useful first-response equipment for appropriate small fires around garages, boats, caravans and recreational environments, but it should not be confused with specialist equipment intended for developed vehicle fires.
For the European market, EN 1869:2019 is the relevant product standard for conventional fire blankets. Independent TÜV SÜD fire-testing documentation for the DVM 1 × 1 m Fire Blanket Series is available.
Professional purchasers can also use the DVM Fire Blanket Reference Specification to compare specifications and product documentation.
View TÜV SÜD Test Report & Videos →
The right fire blanket for the right application
Fire blankets can provide valuable additional protection in garages, cars, boats, caravans and other recreational environments when they are used for the type of small fire they are designed to control.
The most important principle is simple: use a conventional fire blanket only for a small fire that can be approached safely and completely covered. Larger vehicle fires and EV battery fires require a different strategy and specialist equipment.