Top Tips For Fire Pit Safety This Summer

Summer is a time to relax with friends and family and enjoy activities like backyard barbecues and picnics. Fire pits have become popular throughout America’s backyards, and in this post, we look at how to use your fire pit safely and responsibly.

Choose the Right Location

If you’re new to owning a fire pit, the first thing to consider is where to put it. The first rule of thumb is to keep it safe from the house and other flammable objects. Remember that the heat from your fire pit can dry out anything above it, making it more likely to ignite.

We recommend putting your fire pit in the center of your backyard, at least 25 feet away from anything that could catch fire. However, if your yard isn’t big enough, create at least a 10-foot buffer zone to keep everyone safe and prevent a fire.

Some municipalities require permits for regulations or have regulations about their placement, so check with your local fire department to get their recommendation.

Check the Weather

Before you light your fire pit, check the weather forecast for wind. Wind makes it more difficult to light a fire and can quickly blow sparks and embers onto surrounding vegetation or other flammable materials. Furthermore, a slight breeze can blow smoke into people’s faces or the neighbor’s yard. If you have a portable fire pit, move it to an area with a natural wind break before building your fire.

Consider Additional Lighting

Owning a fire pit conjures images of campfires, with people huddled together, swapping stories, and having a good time. However, to keep everyone safe, we recommend providing additional lighting above or around the pit, so everyone can see where they’re going so as not to have an accident.

Never Leave the Fire Pit Unattended

It doesn’t take long for a fire to get out of control, so it’s vital to your home and personal safety to monitor your fire pit when using it and never leave it unattended for any length of time. Even if you think you’ll only be gone a few minutes, an errant spark is all it takes to turn a relaxing evening into a tragedy.

Safely Extinguish With Water or Sand

When you’re ready to call it a night and put out the fire, there are several methods you can use to extinguish the fire safely. If you have a wood-burning fire pit, you can use water or sand to put out the fire. Keeping your garden hose handy and the nozzle set to “spray” is wise because a focused stream can spread embers. If your fire pit can’t stand water because of ceramic or metal components, you can use sand to extinguish the fire.

Remember that many forest fires start because people think they have successfully extinguished their fire. Be thorough about putting out the fire, meaning turn logs to ensure all sides have stopped burning before you call it a night.

Be Prepared for Emergencies

Fire pits are relaxing places to gather with friends and family. However, they’re also extremely dangerous, especially when young children are around. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, there were approximately 5,300 fire pit-related injuries in 2017, triple the number recorded in 2008. The report also states that nearly a quarter of the victims were under five.

With that in mind, being prepared for an emergency is vital.

Experts recommend having a fire safety plan, just like you do for your home. Make sure everyone knows where the fire extinguishers are and how to use them. Also, designate a meeting place on the sidewalk or street where everyone can get together should something tragic happen.

If you want a fire pit in your backyard but need help figuring out where to start, visit our showroom at 539 Laconia Rd, Tilton, NH. Our expert masons can build you a custom fire pit that brings a new level of elegance to your backyard. We have many material options and designs to choose from.

Get started today by calling us at 603–293–4040.