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Fire Pit & Outdoor Fireplace Safety Advice
PINE BROOK LANDSCAPING STAFF • December 4, 2019
Fire Safety Guidelines to Enhance Your All-Season Outdoor Living Space
There is something really special about gathering around a roaring fire pit in the chilly weather, cooking and sharing your meals or just hanging out with loved ones outdoors. However, it’s important to be aware of outdoor fire pit, fireplace and kitchen
safety procedures. This helps ensure that you are safe from things like food-borne illnesses, property damage or bodily harm caused by fire related accidents so you can focus on getting the most out of your experience every time. By keeping the following fire precautions in mind, you can significantly reduce your likelihood of any trouble:
Positioning Your Fire
- To keep a fire from causing undesirable damage, design a hardscape plan where your fire pit or outdoor kitchen is located at least 10 feet from your home or wooded areas - 25 feet is preferable.
- Avoid possible issues by taking time to remove leaves or other combustible materials at least 5 feet away from the fire. This will help reduce the chances of your fire accidentally spreading to other areas.
- Do not position a fire pit under a covered porch or low hanging tree branches.
- Always place a fire pit on a non-flammable surface, such as patio blocks or concrete. Make sure the surface you want to build it on is level and outside of high traffic areas.
- Do not put a fire pit on a wooden deck or directly on grass.
- The fire pit should be at least 6 inches deep at the center and 2 feet across, to help keep the embers and flames contained.
Lighting Your Fire
- One of the most important safety tips is to keep your fires small and avoid using accelerants. Do not use any flammable fluids (gasoline, lighter fluid, etc.) to light fires.
- Using a commercial fire starter stick with kindling or fat wood is ideal.
- Additionally, always check the weather as windy days can be risky, even for a contained fire. If it is too windy, do not light your fire.
Enjoying Your Fire
- If you have an active fire going, never leave the area unattended.
- Make sure that your guests and family maintain a safe distance from open flames, especially if there are children and pets involved.
- Limit the amount of fuel you put in the fire - just use what's necessary to keep it burning gently. A contained fire is easier to manage and significantly reduces the potential for an accident to occur.
- Don’t burn soft woods that can “pop” and throw sparks. Consider investing in a wire mesh cover to keep embers inside and help prevent children or pets from falling in.
- Don’t put paper products or garbage into the fire. They can easily spark and throw off embers or burning remnants.
- Additionally, if you are cooking outdoors, don’t leave any perishable food unattended for prolonged periods of time or you risk bacteria growth.
Extinguishing Your Fire
- Always have a flat shovel nearby to extinguish any escaped flames and to put out the fire itself.
- When you're ready to put out the fire, completely extinguish it with cold water. Drown it and stir it with the shovel until the embers stop glowing.
- To dispose of the ashes in a safe manner, keep a metal can that is used solely for ash storage. Even after 2 or 3 days, ashes can still be hot enough to start a fire.
- Do not discard hot ashes in a compost pile, paper bag, cardboard box or anything else that is combustible.
- Even if you follow all of these guidelines, accidents still happen. Keep a container of water and a hose nearby in case of an emergency.
Turning Your Hardscape Dreams Into Reality
Are you ready to transform your yard into a relaxing all-season retreat? Let PINE BROOK LANDSCAPING
help you enhance your home with creative hardscaping designs and quality craftsmanship. If you’re envisioning a fire pit
or outdoor kitchen
on your property, rely on our team to help. We have over 30 years of experience in assisting homeowners like you with realizing their backyard goals. No matter what your vision or budget, we are committed to providing all our clients in the Delaware Valley with exceptional hardscaping services. Click to contact our team online and schedule your hardscape design consultation or call us at 267-718-1771 today!
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