Camping and campfires go hand in hand. It’s hard to imagine going camping without lighting a fire to roast marshmallows and tell ghost stories. Without the proper safety tag, your campfire could turn your camping trip into a disaster.

Choosing a safe place for your campfire

Most commercial campgrounds already have pre-existing fire rings to use. Unless the ring of fire is in a dangerous place, you must light the fire there. Camp owners may have already considered it a safe place to build a fire. The fire ring will help contain the sparks and prevent the fire from spreading.

If your camp does not have a ring of fire, you will need to create one. First look for a place that meets these criteria:

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

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

– away from dry grass and forest debris

– away from other flammable items

If your campground already has a fire ring, check to see if it meets the above criteria as well. The landscape around their camp may have changed since the Ring of Fire was initially built. There may now be a branch sticking out of the current ring of fire.

Preparing your campfire area

Once you’ve chosen where to build your fire pit, you need to make sure that the area is completely clear of anything that could ignite. It is best to clean the floor down to the ground about 5 feet from your fire pit. Surrounding twigs and dry leaves could easily catch fire with a stubborn spark.

Next, dig a shallow pit about 2 feet wide and surround this pit with a ring of medium-sized rocks. These rocks should be placed snugly together without any gaps where sparks can fly. Remove small loose stones from the pit that could potentially explode from the heat of the fire.

Before you start building your campfire, make sure you have equipment on hand to put out the fire. You will need a large bucket of water and a shovel. Keep these things close enough to your fire pit so that they are quickly accessible in an emergency. If the soil around your campground is too difficult to shovel, also have a bucket of sand or dirt nearby.

Light Your Campfire Safely

Avoid using lighter fluid or other chemicals to start the fire. These fuels are dangerous to use in nature. They can explode unexpectedly and set your clothing on fire. Instead, use a lighter or match to light your firewood. Do not throw away used matches until they are cool to the touch.

It can be tempting to build a large fire pit rather than a reasonably sized one. Resist the temptation and put safety first. A large fire will emit more potentially dangerous sparks. These sparks from a large fire can travel further than the sparks from a small fire. It can also be much more difficult to extinguish a large fire.

Keep a safe campfire

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

Be careful what you burn in your campfire. Try to stick to manageable pieces of firewood that will easily fit inside your fire pit. It is not a good idea to burn large logs sticking out of the fire pit. Also avoid burning fresh branches that emit excess sparks.

Properly extinguish your campfire

Before going to sleep or leaving camp, you should completely extinguish your campfire. First, put out the flames by pouring water over the fire. However, it is not over yet. Just because you can’t see the flames doesn’t mean the fire can’t be reignited. Usually there are still hot embers left that will continue to burn for hours. To cope with the embers, stir the embers and add more water. Then cover the coals with dirt or sand.

Conclution

It is too easy for a campfire to spread and turn into a forest fire. When 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’s just not safe to have a campfire. If the forest is too dry and the danger of wildfires is high, there is often a ban on campfires. Please observe these prohibitions as they are for your own safety. Strong winds also create dangerous conditions for campfires. So use your own judgment if necessary. Do what you can to protect our forests.