Can synthetic turf fields catch fire?
While there is only a very small chance the fields will catch fire, it is possible. The two known fires on turf that have been studied both cases involved arson. According to the Synthetic Playfield Task Force Report, “the flash point (the temperature at which a material will initially ignite) and auto ignition data suggest that the hazard is minimal. The spread of flames was slow in two known playground fires involving loose-fill crumb rubber, and no one was injured. Both fires were initially started by juveniles who used matches, paper, and wood to ignite the crumb rubber.” In addition, all the fields installed in San Francisco have passed the ASTM D 2859 Flammability (Pill) Test.
