Fall Bonfire Safety Tips

Fall is the best time of the year to host a bonfire before it gets too cold outside. That said, you can’t build a bonfire without considering the many dangers that come along with fires. Luckily, we put together a comprehensive list of fall bonfire safety tips to consider this year.

Location is a big part of fall bonfire safety, so you must find a spot away from trees, structures, and power lines. Clear the brush and dry vegetation away from the fire pit within a 10-foot diameter and douse the ground with water. Start a small fire at first, slowly feed it, and keep a fire extinguisher and water nearby in case of emergencies.

Never use accelerants like lighter fluid, or else your bonfire may get out of control. Look up local fire safety regulations in your municipality to avoid fines and penalties. Follow along as we explore some fall bonfire safety tips to help avoid disaster.

How To Have A Safe Bonfire

1. Find The Perfect Spot

Just like in real estate, the location is everything when it comes to fall bonfire safety. For example, it’s unsafe to build a bonfire below trees and power lines or near structures, like sheds. It’s also essential to clean the area around the bonfire to ensure the flames don’t spread.

Create a 10-foot diameter barrier around the bonfire with nothing in the way. You shouldn’t even keep the wood and kindling within the 10-foot diameter. Otherwise, the wind could carry embers toward the kindling, and it will quickly ignite.

Next, dig a 10”-12” hole in the ground to serve as a base for your bonfire. Cut back and remove any dry vegetation that could ignite and build a rock barrier within a 10-foot diameter. Douse the ground within the 10-foot diameter with water when you’re ready to start your fall bonfire.

2. Check The Weather

Weather is one of the most important aspects of fire safety. You can’t settle on a date for a bonfire until you’re sure that the wind speed will be slow. Weather forecasts often change unexpectedly, so you must check the wind speed on the day of the bonfire.

You cannot have a safe bonfire if the wind exceeds a speed of 5 miles per hour. While you can find accounts of people having bonfires when the wind is as fast as 15 miles per hour, that is generally considered unsafe, as strong gusts of wind can carry embers a mile away.

It’s worth it to reschedule your fall bonfire if the forecast predicts strong winds. The same rule applies to burning leaves in your yard. Otherwise, the wind may carry embers and light nearby vegetation and structures on fire.

3. Comply With Local Laws

Fire safety laws vary between cities, states, and municipalities. For example, areas prone to wildfire, like Southern California, have relatively strict fire safety regulations. Failing to comply with local fire regulations can result in fines, penalties, and jail time in some cases.

Luckily, all you must do is look up your local fire marshal’s office. You can quickly find a list of regulations and guidelines for safe fire practices. It also helps to look up OSHA’s fire safety requirements as they highlight the dangers of unsafe fires.

4. Avoid Fire Accelerants

Countless homeowners use fire accelerants to speed up their fall bonfires. Accelerants like lighter fluid, gasoline, and kerosene are highly flammable. People use accelerants to quickly start fires without having to wait for kindling to catch on fire.

While lighter fluid is convenient, it’s also quite difficult to control. For example, it’s all too easy to accidentally spill kerosene and lighter fluid on the ground without noticing it. In that case, an ember may blow toward the accelerant and ignite it.

Now, there will be two ongoing fires, and you must quickly extinguish the one that is outside of the pit. Even worse, you may accidentally spill accelerant on your clothes, which can eventually catch on fire.

5. Start Small

It may be tempting to start a huge bonfire, but that can quickly become unmanageable. Ideally, it would help to slowly put leaves, twigs, sticks, and pieces of wood in the fire. That way, the fire won’t grow too quickly and become hard to control.

Putting too much in your fire at once can also smother the flames. In that case, you won’t be able to enjoy your bonfire for too long. Keep the kindling and wood away from the fire, so that they don’t catch on fire from embers.

Take the extra time to walk back and forth with wood and kindling whenever you must feed the fire. Carefully watch the fire from the time it starts until you extinguish it when you’re done.

6. Be Careful With What You Burn

Many people mistakenly believe that you can burn anything in a bonfire. Whether it be foam, cardboard, or old magazines, burning trash can be harmful. Not only is it bad for the environment, but it’s also dangerous to inhale the smoke.

You must also be careful with what you use as kindling for your bonfire. Some plants, such as poison ivy and poison oak, are highly dangerous to burn. Inhaling the smoke from harmful plants can cause serious respiratory problems.

This can even result in death if you are allergic to the plants that you burn. Exercise caution whenever you gather kindling and wood for your bonfire. Otherwise, you can play it safe and buy kindling and wood from a store, as it’s easier to ensure the materials are safe.

7. Keep Water On Standby

Every great fall bonfire must come to an end eventually, so you must be able to quickly put it out. The best way to put out a bonfire is to douse it with water. Ideally, you should keep several jugs and or buckets full of water near the bonfire.

This is a great safety measure, and it also comes in handy when you must extinguish the fire. Make sure to evenly pour water on the fire to put out every piece of wood and kindling. It may take several tries and even several gallons of water to extinguish the fire.

Never host a bonfire if you don’t have a fire extinguisher. It’s a great idea to keep a bucket of water around, but fire extinguishers are better for emergencies.

Summing It Up

Never build a bonfire beneath power lines and trees or near sheds and houses. Check the weather to make sure the wind speed won’t exceed 5 miles per hour before you start a bonfire. Avoid using kerosene, alcohol, or lighter fluid, as accelerants can make your fire grow too quickly. Keep buckets of water and a fire extinguisher handy to extinguish your bonfire as needed.

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