Fire Pit Safety
2020-07-28
By: Denise Koslowsky
There is nothing quite like enjoying some outdoor time around a fire pit with your family and friends! We LOVE fire pits and want our Advocate friends that agree to be able to enjoy their time safely. Below are our thoughts.
Advocate’s Thoughts For Fire Pit Safety
- Location, Location, Location. Where your fire pit is located is perhaps the most important aspect of ensuring your safety. We’ve got a few thoughts to share:
- Place it on flat, level ground. This is true especially if it is a portable fire pit. You want to eliminate any possibility of the fire pit being tipped over.
- Place it on non-flammable surfaces. A patio, concrete pad or on some sort of gravel or stone surface are great choices for placement. You will want to avoid placing a fire pit on a deck or grass.
- Keep it away from landscaping. Place or build your fire pit away from bushes, shrubs trees and low hanging branches. If you are building a fire pit you will also want to pay attention to the future growth pattern of any landscaping, you don’t want a nearby bush to grow into the fire pit.
- Keep it away from structures. A fire pit should be at least 25 feet away from any structure such as your house, a garage, a shed, pergola or pool cabana.
- Outside Only. Do not place your fire pit inside a covered patio, deck or garage.
- Keep the fire small. The bigger the fire, the harder it is to maintain control.
- Be mindful of the weather. If it is windy, you may want to save your fire for another day.
- Have a safety plan. Keep a hose, bucket of water or fire extinguisher nearby so that you can easily contain the fire if it becomes necessary.
- Get a permit. If your fire pit is handmade and built directly on the ground, you might need a fire permit. Check with the local authorities.
- Keep it covered. If you are building your fire in a fireproof container (such as a store bought fire pit), you will want to keep it covered with a mesh type cover so that you can prevent the hot ashes from flying away. Fires can easily cause brush fires if they are not contained.
- Be smart about how you start your fire. Avoid using a liquid fire starter to start a fire because it can quickly become larger than you can control. You should also never use a leaf blower to blow air on a fire; we have seen this begin a raging fire and the airborne embers that result could easily cause a brush fire.
When safety precautions are taken, fire pits can be an awesome home feature that helps you enjoy your time at home. Advocate wants your family time to be as relaxing as possible. We encourage you to review our thoughts and then grab some marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate to cook up some s’mores and create some memories!
