Campfires are a classic way of kicking back and ending an energetic day spent venturing through the great outdoors. Immersing yourself in your surrounding scenery, sitting under the stars, cooking up some great camp chow and connecting with your site neighbours or camping group, is there anything better? All that being said, achieving that idyllic campfire side scene doesn’t come without a few necessary safety measures and considerations. Here are 5 simple steps for seamless campfire safety…
Consider your surroundings
Before you do anything, you need to take a look both around you and above you. Make sure that your chosen fire pit is situated away from low hanging branches, sprawling bushes or tall, dry grass. Keep a safe distance away from camper trailers, tents and other parties to ensure that your fire is not disturbing anyone else at your location.
Find a fire pit and prepare it properly
Fires should never be lit outside of a designated pit. Whether you’re camping during the balmy months of summer or you’re heading out on a cold weather escapade, you should only light a fire outside of ban periods and in specially designated areas established by your campground of choice. Most campgrounds will have a fire pit available, however, there are additional safety measures that you can take to ensure that you are staying as cautious and responsible as possible. Cleaning out any debris from previous fires, littering or residual natural buildup of grass and dust should be done before lighting any fires. You should also check that there is a minimum of five feet of soil surrounding the pit. Circle your pit with rocks or double check the pre-existing metal ring to control fire size and keep it contained. Lastly, remove all flammable items from the proximity of the fire. Remember that if you’re in doubt, just ask! Consult your campground ranger or staff to get definitive answers and expert safety advice.
Have water on hand
Always have water on hand just in case. You never know what could happen and fire is one unpredictable element, so having water with you as well as quick access to dirt or a fire deterrent blanket is a must. This can help you to both control and put out your fire.
Stay with your fire
You’ve gone to the effort of creating a safe and successful fire, so you owe it to yourself and to the security of others to stay with it for the duration of the burn. No matter what’s going on around the grounds, you should always stay with your fire.
Extinguish thoroughly at the end of use
You’ll need to dedicate that attentiveness for the entire duration of your fire or until you choose to put it out. When lights out time comes, it’s important to use a thorough and definite method to dampen those flames. An old faithful means of killing a fire is by adding plenty of water or dirt. Once the flames are gone you should stir the embers with appropriate tools to make sure that the fire doesn’t come back to life and that the coals are all wet, cold and put out.
Follow these campfire safety tips for a secure and successful campfire outside of fire band season! Remember that if a fire is not an option and you still want a way of kicking back and keeping warm on a cold winter’s night, you can always retreat to the protection and comfort of a camper trailer!
