One of the most commonly asked questions regarding pour-in-place rubber surfacing is whether it is a fire hazard. Here's an example of a playground in Fort McMurray that stood up to the hot ash, falling trees and intense heat from the 2016 wildfire known as 'The Beast' that seemed to destroy everything in its path.

Heat so intense that the paint on the playground equipment blistered....however the pour-in-place rubber surfacing did not burn.

This playground is in Beacon Hill, Fort McMurray - one of the worst affected areas of the fires.

Softline Solutions was called to inspect this playground in May, 2017, - 1 year after the fires. Although the surface was tested and failed to meet the impact attenuation standards required (due to hardening of the binder from intense heat), it is interesting to note that it did not burn, which confirms it was not a fire hazard.

This surface had every reason to burn with the falling hot ashes and burning debris it was exposed to. If this surface was a fire hazard, it would have been destroyed and increased the chances of the playground equipment also being damaged.

Here are a few images of the destruction surrounding this playground:

Fallen trees near the playground:

Grass is burnt, inches from the edge of the playground:

Beacon Hill Neighborhood after the wildfire (courtesy of: Sylvian Bascaron/The Canadian Press):

Completing a Triax Impact Attenuation Test on the playground surfacing:

Softline Solutions is the only IPEMA certified provider of pour-in-place rubber surfacing in Canada. Visit www.ipema.org for further information and to verify our certification.

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