Camping and campfires go hand in hand. It is difficult to imagine going camping without building a fire to roast marshmallows over also to tell ghost stories around. Without proper safety etiquette, your campfire could turn your camping trip right into a disaster.

Choosing a Safe Location For Your Campfire

Most commercial campgrounds already have preexisting fire rings to use. Unless the fire ring is in a dangerous spot, you should build your fire there. The campground owners have likely already deemed this as a safe location to build a fire. The fire ring can help contain sparks preventing your fire from spreading.

If your campsite does not have a fire ring, you will have to create one. First find a spot that meets these criteria:

– downwind at least 5 feet away from your tent and firewood

– away from trees, bushes, logs, stumps and overhanging branches

– from dry grass and forest debris

– away from any other flammable items

If your campsite does have a fire ring already, check if it meets the above criteria too. The landscape around your campsite could have changed because the fire ring was initially built. There could now be a branch that overhangs the current fire ring.

Preparing Your Campfire Area

After you have chosen where you can build your campfire, you should ensure that the area is completely clear of anything that could ignite. It is best to clear the ground because of the soil within about 5 feet of your fire bowl. Surrounding twigs and dry leaves could easily catch fire from the wayward spark.

Next dig a shallow pit about 2 feet across and encircle this pit with a ring of mid-sized rocks. These rocks ought to be placed snuggly together without the gaps where sparks could fly through. Remove any small, loose stones from the pit that could potentially explode from the fire’s heat.

Before you begin building your campfire, be sure you have equipment on hand to extinguish your fire. You will need a big bucket of water and a shovel. Keep these things close enough to your fire bowl they are quickly accessible in a crisis. If the bottom around your campsite is too hard to shovel, also keep a bucket of sand or dirt nearby.

Safely Igniting Your Campfire

Avoid using lighter fluid or other chemicals to start your fire. These fuels are dangerous to use in the wilderness. They are able to unexpectedly flare up and catch your clothing on fire. Instead just use a lighter or match to ignite your kindling. Usually do not discard any used matches until they’re cool to the touch.

It really is tempting to build a large bonfire rather than a reasonably sized campfire. Resist the temptation and put health and safety first. A big fire will emit more potentially hazardous sparks. These sparks from the large fire are capable to drifting further away than sparks from a small fire. Also it can be a lot more difficult to extinguish a large fire.

Maintaining a Safe Campfire

While your campfire is burning, never leave it unattended! Despite other safety precautions, your campfire could spread from your fire pit. You should be around to make sure your campfire doesn’t spread.

Be careful of everything you burn in your campfire. Make an effort to stick to manageable bits of firewood that easily fit inside your fire pit. It is not a good idea to burn large logs that stand out past your fire bowl. Also avoid burning fresh branches that give off excess sparks.

Properly Extinguishing Your Campfire

Prior to going to sleep or when you leave the campsite, you must fully extinguish your campfire. First, douse the flames by pouring water on the fire. You are not done yet though. Just because you can’t see flames, it does not mean the fire cannot reignite itself. You can find usually still hot embers that may continue smoldering for hours. To handle the embers, stir the coals and add more water. Then cover the coals with dirt or sand.

Conclusion

It is much too easy for a campfire to spread learning to be a forest fire. While you are camping, it is your responsibility to protect the forest from your campfire. Follow these simple campfire safety rules and use your common sense. Sometimes it simply is not safe to possess a campfire at all. If the forest is too dry and forest fire danger is high, t here is ordinarily a ban on campfires. Respect these bans because they are for your own safety. Strong winds make for dangerous campfire conditions too. So use your own judgment if necessary. Do what you can to safeguard our forests.