What makes fuel dangerous?
Gasoline gives off vapors that can travel along the ground and ignite from a spark, a pilot light, a hot engine or static electricity. Diesel is less volatile but still burns and can cause serious fires. Fuel can also harm skin and lungs, and contaminate soil and water.
Many fuel fires start when someone refuels a hot engine, fills a container while it sits in a truck bed or stores fuel in the wrong kind of container. These are habits that can be changed.
Fuel containers left in the sun or in a hot truck cab build up pressure, and vapors can leak around caps. Store them in shade and open caps slowly to release pressure.
What containers should I use?
Use containers made for fuel and labeled for the type you store. Look for sturdy containers with tight caps and the kind of markings required in your area. Do not use milk jugs, food containers or glass. Keep gasoline and diesel in clearly marked, separate containers so that nobody mixes them up in an engine.
Replace containers that are cracked, swollen or leaking. Ask your fire department, supplier or state agency about container types and any limits on how much you may store, because rules vary by location.
- Approved, labeled fuel containers only
- Separate containers for each fuel type
- Replace damaged or swollen containers
- Never use food or drink bottles
Where should I store fuel?
Store fuel outside living spaces, in a cool, ventilated, shaded building or shed that is separate from the house and barn, away from ignition sources such as water heaters, furnaces, welding and grinding. Keep it away from hay, bedding and other combustibles. Keep the area locked so children cannot reach it.
Do not store fuel in a basement, attached garage or the cab of a vehicle. Keep it away from wells and surface water, and put containers on a surface that will contain a spill. If you keep a larger tank, ask your fire marshal, state agriculture department and environmental agency about requirements for location, spill protection and registration.
How do I refuel safely?
Shut off the engine and let it cool before refueling. Fill in the open air, on the ground when using a portable container, so static electricity can discharge safely, and do not smoke or work near flames. Fill slowly and leave room in the tank for expansion. Wipe up spills and let the vapors clear before starting the engine.
Use a funnel or spout that fits and keep your hands, clothes and shoes free of fuel. If fuel gets on skin or clothing, wash it off with soap and water and change clothes before going near any ignition source.
Generators and other equipment that run hot need extra time to cool before refueling. If you cannot tell whether an engine is cool, wait longer, and keep a rule that fuel and running engines never share the same spot.
What do I do if fuel spills or catches fire?
For a small spill, keep ignition sources away, use absorbent material and dispose of it as local rules direct. For a large spill, or one near water, call your fire department or the local emergency number. Do not wash fuel into a drain, ditch or well.
Keep a fire extinguisher rated for fuel fires near the storage area and the refueling spot, and learn to use it before you need it. For a fire that is more than very small, get out, keep others away and call emergency services. Do not try to move burning containers.
Keep a short list of numbers near the storage area: the fire department, your fuel supplier and your local environmental agency. Under stress, nobody remembers a number they have never needed before.
How do I keep fuel in good condition and avoid waste?
Buy only what you will use in a reasonable time. Old fuel can cause engine problems and becomes a disposal problem. Ask your equipment dealer or extension office about storing fuel for seasonal equipment and about how long it stays good.
Never pour old fuel on the ground or into the trash. Ask your county solid waste office about hazardous waste collection for unwanted fuel.
How do I teach everyone on the farm?
Show every helper where fuel is kept, how to fill equipment and what to do in a spill or fire. Make a rule that children never handle fuel. Post emergency numbers near the storage area.
Review the rules each spring and again before busy seasons. A short refresher keeps routines from slipping, and it catches problems such as a loose cap or a missing extinguisher.
Key takeaways
- Use proper labeled containers and never store fuel in food bottles.
- Store fuel in a ventilated outbuilding away from the house, animals and ignition sources.
- Shut off and cool equipment before refueling, and refuel outdoors.
- Keep an extinguisher nearby and know when to leave and call for help.
- Ask your fire department and environmental agency about local storage and disposal rules.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.