A portable garage or carport is often equipped to be somewhat fire resistant, be it a fully metal or metal and polyethylene canopy structure. Galvanized steel, which makes up the frames for both types of carports, is fire resistant up to a couple of hours without being altered. Polyethylene, in some cases, can be fire retardant. In fact, many canopies are built with fire retardant tarps that meet California fire codes, the most stringent in the United States. Not all canopies or polyethylene tarps are, however, but those that are can keep a fire contained within the shelter.

As mentioned in the linked article above, items inside the structure can become damaged, although the structure prevents the fire from spreading to a home or adjacent building if addressed in time. In the case of this article, the truck inside the carport was partially damaged by the fire. This is the case with all items stored in such portable outdoor shelters. Whether you use one for housing a seasonal vehicle like an RV or boat or use one for your car or just simply for storage, items inside will be damaged or destroyed by the fire, although your home should remain safe from the flames.