Campfire Safety

8/3/2020 (Permalink)

Camping is a long time family favorite weekend getaway for many families. It often involves fishing, biking, playing games, and cooking over a fire. My favorite is roasting marshmallows over the campfire and making s’mores. It’s all a great memory-making experience if we are cautious and careful. 

I have gathered some tips for you to make a fun memorable trip by building a proper campfire and abiding by some tips that may save someone from injury.

Preparing and building a Campfire

1. Check with local authorities to see if they allow fires in your area.
2. Don’t make a fire too close to homes, shrubs, trees, tents, or other buildings.
3. Make sure there’s no brush near the fire. Clear an area approximately 10 feet.
4. When building your fire remember to use dry hardwood.  Pine gives off a lot of sparks.
5. Make a teepee with a few pieces of hardwood.
6. Put kindling inside the teepee  (twigs, leaves, newspaper, bark, etc.)
7. Light the tinder.
8. Slowly add wood after the fire is burning.

5 safety tips during the fire

1. Have a hose or bucket of water ready in case you need it in an emergency or when it’s time to put the fire out.
2. A fire blanket is good to have on hand in case someone catches on fire.
3. Pay attention to the wind direction and strength.
4. Keep the fire safe and manageable.
5. Keep the wood-burning steadily. Don’t make a huge fire.

Extinguishing the fire

1. Let the wood burn completely to ash if possible.
2. Pour a lot of water, to drown the embers.
3. The water will make a hissing sound when it hits the fire. Pour water until there is no more hissing.
4. Everything should be cool to the touch.

These are pretty simple but always a great reminder. Again, safety should always be the first priority so we can keep the fun going! We all want to create a great memory with our family, following safety tips, and being cautious will help you to keep everyone safe, happy, and looking forward to the next trip with the family.

As always, if disaster strikes, SERVPRO of Springfield, Morgan, Cass, and Montgomery counties is always here for you. We can be reached 24/7 at 217-528-7775.