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Prevention

Portable Fuel Container Safety Act

Protecting families and communities by preventing flame jetting injuries.

The Facts

  • The Portable Fuel Container Safety Act of 2019 (H.R. 806 /S.1640 ) requires flame arrestors in portable fuel containers to stop flames from traveling back into the container—a hazard known as flame jetting. 

  • The American Burn Association (ABA) and the burn community advocated for this legislation for years, beginning in 2016. 

  • The bill was passed as part of the Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations omnibus bill on December 21, 2020. 

  • This bill also included $10 million in continued funding for the Military Burn Research Program, supporting peer-reviewed research to improve burn care for service members and civilians. 

Why It Matters

  • Flame jetting can cause severe, often fatal burn injuries when vapors in portable fuel containers ignite unexpectedly. 

  • Requiring flame arrestors helps reduce risk, protecting children, families, and anyone using fuel containers at home, outdoors, or on the job. 

  • Ongoing burn research funding advances new treatments, improving burn survivors' recovery and quality of life.