Fire prevention is a big issue with aircooled VW's. Due to their age there are many parts that will be perished or worn out . This is a problem compounded by the VW's "bulletproof reliability" tag that it has quite rightly picked up over the years. However, this means that many owners assume that just because they have a VW, it is reliable and won't need much doing to it.. WRONG! Many non-service items don't get checked by owners, only by MOT testers, and as we all know, even MOT tests can be of dubious reliability, so it's worth checking your own car for warning signs.

This article is divided into two sections, prevention and cure, but as we all know, prevention is better than cure!

Is it secured to the floor/battery tray? Are its terminals covered with a non conductive cover [plastic ideally - 5l ice cream tub is a perfect temporary fix]? If you have a standard back seat in a bug, then you must be even more cautious, as the springs underneath the seat can arc on the terminals, setting fire to the seat in seconds!

3 main areas to check: around the battery, dash area and engine bay.
Look for eronious wires that appear to lead nowhere, usually remnants of a previous owner's attempts to fit a stereo, and remove these as they could cause problems. Are all wires properly insulated? If not, bind any bare areas up with insulating tape. All connections should be properly terminated, with spade connections, or similar.

Check these thoroughly!!! The flexible fuel lines, such as from the fuel pump to the carb should be rubber hosing with cotton braiding. Transparent hose or any plastic hosing should NOT be used as it will deteriorate because of the fuel itself.
If the car is left outside and not garaged in winter, the fuel hose should be changed every 2 years on average, as frost damage can cause it to crack and perish and causes leaks.
All connections should be clamped either with the old crimp-on style of clip or jubilee clips. Longer lasting upgrades can be made by using PTFE-lined stainless braided hosing which can be vastly more expensive, but totally immune to chafing, wear, frost damage and pinch cuts and worth the peace of mind.
Solid, metal fuel lines should be rust free; if they show signs of corrosion, smear them with grease to prolong their life..

Nearly all daily driven VW's have small oil leaks! However... small is the operative word!
Too many engines leak oil from the rocker cover in large amounts, straight onto the exhaust! This will be close to igniting when the exhaust gets hot. This often can be seen in the form of wisps of smoke from the heat exchangers, it's asking for something nasty to happen. New rocker cover gaskets cost around 50p each, worth the investment!

More of a minor issue, but far too many engines around are covered in a filthy layer of oil and dirt sludge from years of neglect. This is worth cleaning off with a degreasant. If there were any sparks in the engine bay for any reason, a layer of hot dirty oil would be more than willing to ignite!
If you are worried about rust in the engine bay, spray the area with a wax spray to protect it. Leaving an oily mess everywhere is not the answer!

Always carry a fire extinguisher. Everyone with an old VW they care about should do the same. It could save it! Only use a dry powder type. Halon used to be thought of as OK, but it destroys oxygen in the air, so it's not a safe option to use in confined spaces.
Camper/van owners should also carry a fire blanket to use inside the cabin/cargo area.
Cookers and gas fridges should be serviced regularly too.

In the event of any electrical fault, it's sometimes not an option to sort the problem out directly. Maybe the wire in question has become too hot to handle or has even ignited a fire.
A battery kill switch will totally disconnect any electrical connection and render any permanently live wires dead at the turn of a switch.
This is important with electrical fires, as if the battery cannot be accessed, the fire is prone to re-igniting. These switches are cheap, and can also act as a security feature, as with some models, the handle can be removed from the car when parked, isolating the battery......no battery - car wont start.