Protect vehicle from fire hazards Published July 18, 2014 By Staff Sgt. Sharief Scarbriel 60th Civil Engineer Squadron TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Vehicle fires can sneak up on you and can be very costly. Here are some tips to help prevent vehicle fires and keep you and your family safe. You should properly maintain your vehicle. Mechanical and electrical issues are the most common cause of car fires. Be sure to have your vehicle checked by a professional mechanic if it begins running irregularly or leaks any fluids. Also have preventative maintenance performed regularly. If you are transporting fuel, make sure it is in small amounts in a properly sealed gas can. Do not transport fuel in the inside of your vehicle. You should avoid smoking in your vehicle. Consider placing a five pound A-B-C fire extinguisher in your car. What should you do if your vehicle catches fire? Pull over as soon as it is safe to do so. On average, it takes about four minutes for a fire to reach the passenger compartment of a car if it started from the engine, so it is crucial to get to safety as soon as possible. Make sure to signal appropriately if you must turn or change lanes. Once you have stopped, turn off your vehicle and get out of the car. Move at least 100 feet from the burning car and away from traffic. Only use an extinguisher to stop a small, contained fire from spreading or to clear a safe path of escape from the vehicle. Call 911 if off base and 424-4911 if on base and notify emergency communication center of the situation. For more information contact the 60th Civil Engineer Fire Protection Flight at 60CES.CEFT@us.af.mil.