For people that smoke outside their house, that is, on their decks or balconies, Wayne Pawlowski has something to say.

Pawlowski, Chief of fire investigations said that do not dispose of your smoker's materials in peat moss planters.

Improper disposing off of cigarettes has led to fires that caused $4.1 million in damage in the initial five months of this year.

That's more than the total of damage that was caused in the preceding two years jointly.

Carelessly throwing away cigarettes, matches and other smoking materials has caused 20 fires in the current year.

The blazes have killed one being and injured one more.

In 2009, 65 fires caused $1.8 million worth damage, and in 2008, $1.9 million worth damage was caused by 67 fires.

Pawlowski said tossing a cigarette into a planter that is filled with peat moss might not right away begin a fire, but the peat will grip heat and carrying on smoldering.

That heat may possibly then melt the plastic of a plant pot and create a fire.

Pawlowski added that the fire might not be noticed till the time it gets into a house or premises or someone drives by and checks out the fire.