Fire Pit Safety Tips

During cool weather, you may want to enjoy the ambience of a fire pit. But before you light that fire, please take time to review safety information. You will want to protect your home as well as the homes of your neighbors.

Place the pit far from the house. The ideal place for a fire pit is in the center of a backyard, at least 20 to 25 feet away from anything. If that kind of space isn’t available, keep at least a 10 foot buffer around the pit. There should be a water source near the fire pit site.

Avoid placing fire pit near bushes, trees, railings, fencing, awnings, or electrical wires, or near anything which is vulnerable to sparks and extreme heat. Do not place under trees.

Never put a fire pit on a wood or composite deck.

Clear the area underneath of all foliage in a circle at least twice the pit’s diameter.

Weather conditions can significantly impact fire pit safety. You should avoid using the fire pit when winds exceed 10–15 miles per hour.

Always place a spark screen on top of the pit once you’ve built the fire.

An adult should always be present while a fire is burning.

Keep a garden hose on hand to douse the flames if they get out of control.

Avoid the softest woods, like cedar or pine, which tend to smoke and spark, Get hardwoods like ash, hickory, and oak, which burn the longest. Use dry, seasoned wood cut at least six months earlier. Never burn rotten wood, treated wood, painted wood, or other materials that can release toxic fumes.

Kill the embers completely before abandoning fire pit

To douse the fire, spread out the coals, ash, and unburnt logs in the thinnest layer possible. Then set the garden hose nozzle to a wide-spray or “fog” pattern and spray the pit to lower the temperature and cool the area. Saturate the area until the embers die.”

Never use a bucket of water. “Dumping water on a wood-burning fire forms a hard crust on top of remaining wood, coals, and ash, and causes a lot of water to run off, As a result, you may not quench the fire completely—and still have hot coals burning underneath the crust.”

Above info from https://www.consumerreports.org/health/outdoor-safety/fire-pit-safety-advice-a9497640315/

Other useful sources:

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/yards/21019364/fire-pit-safety

https://www.calgary.ca/safety/fire-pits.html