BBQs, Fireworks & Common Area Safety: A Board’s Guide to Summer Risk Management

​By Justin Martin – President, PioneerWest Property Management LLC - Hailey & Twin Falls, ID

As the sun climbs higher and the evenings stretch longer, the mood in many communities shifts from cautious to celebratory. Homeowners prepare for barbecues, fireworks displays, and late-night gatherings that celebrate the best of summer. But behind the laughter and sparklers lies a truth too often ignored: summer is the most dangerous season for community-wide disasters, and most boards are woefully unprepared.
 
In Idaho, over 90% of wildfires are caused by human activity. This staggering statistic is not just an indictment of carelessness; it’s a wake-up call for action. In areas governed by homeowners associations, where structures often lie nestled among dry brush and forestland, one errant ember can mean the difference between a summer memory and a regional emergency. Fire officials have confirmed that embers from open flames can travel up to a mile under the right conditions. In these moments, prevention is not just prudent; it’s a mandate.

It doesn’t take negligence, just a moment. A moment that could have been avoided.
HOA boards have a fiduciary duty to their members, and that obligation doesn’t stop at the balance sheet. It extends to the physical protection of common areas and, by extension, the community at large. But year after year, boards avoid adopting firm fire prevention policies out of fear they’ll be seen as killjoys or overreaching enforcers. In truth, refusing to act may very well be the greater liability.
 
Senator Mike Crapo has said that wildfires can raze entire communities, destroy livelihoods, and displace families. His words are a reminder that disaster mitigation is not about fear, it’s about stewardship. HOA boards must lead with that same sense of duty, especially during peak summer months when temperatures soar and humidity disappears.
 
Nowhere is that leadership more critical than in the area of grilling and fireworks. It is the position of this piece that gas grills, charcoal grills, open flame fire pits, and fireworks of any kind should be categorically prohibited in all common areas during the summer season. This includes the months of May through October, which coincide with Idaho’s designated Closed Fire Season. It is not a question of preference; it is a question of inevitability. Boards that fail to adopt such a policy are knowingly gambling with their community’s safety, and in some cases, their own legal exposure.
 
Some may ask: isn’t that a bit extreme? Perhaps. But what’s the real cost of doing nothing?
 
Enforcement is never popular, but it is necessary. Homeowners must be informed early and often, with clear, plain-language communications that reinforce the reasons behind these decisions. Electric alternatives may be offered in limited designated areas, but even those require oversight. When boards lead with consistency and transparency, they do more than prevent fire; they build trust.
 
This level of vigilance requires coordination between boards and their management companies. Community managers and CEOs should not wait for the board to act; they should be providing them with fire policy templates, enforcement protocols, and access to local fire prevention resources. They should be scheduling walkthroughs, communicating seasonal risk profiles, and educating residents. Risk management isn’t something you do after a fire, it’s something you plan for before the first match is ever struck.
 
Some argue that prohibiting traditional summer rituals strips away the joy of the season. The opposite is true. Safe communities can still celebrate, but with a deeper sense of responsibility and awareness. When boards and managers adopt strong summer fire policies, they are not limiting enjoyment; they are preserving the very space where joy can happen.
 
Leadership in community associations means more than overseeing meetings or managing dues. It means recognizing the fragility of the communities we serve and being bold enough to take action before action is forced upon us by tragedy. In today’s climate, literally and figuratively, there is no room for hesitation.
Summer is here. The wind is hot. The ground is dry. Let’s not become the next headline.
 
Let’s be the community that leads before others are forced to follow.