Campfire Safety Washington DC

Campfire Safety

Smokey the Bear was right

Campfires can be an integral part of outdoor life. Whether you gather around them to tell ghost stories or sing songs, light them for warmth or ambience, or just want to toast marshmallows, a crackling open-air fire can tempt even the most confirmed city slicker.

Beautiful and mesmerizing as the flames are, campfires - or rather the people who light them - are responsible for more than half of all forest fires. Whether you're camping under the stars in the backcountry miles away from anyone or hooking up your RV in a full-amenity trailer park, you can't afford to be careless with fire.

Check For and Obey Fire Restrictions

Weather conditions (very dry, hot and / or windy weather) can influence whether or not you can light a campfire. Most national, state and provincial parks post warnings, but if you aren't sure, a park ranger can tell you what the current fire restrictions are. Many backcountry areas, especially desert environments or high elevation areas don't allow campfires at any time. Unless there's an emergency, obey all fire restrictions!

To minimize the impact on the environment and maximize your personal safety,

• Build campfire that is
  • in a pre-existing fire ring or fire pit, if possible
  • ringed with rocks to prevent the fire from spreading
  • at least 3 yards from all tents, dry grass and foliage.
• Don't allow children and pets near the campfire and never leave them unsupervised. Teach kids how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire.
• Keep a bucket of water and a shovel nearby in case you need to extinguish the flames quickly. A fire extinguisher is also a good idea, if possible.
• If using an accelerant (fire starter), carefully place the accelerant on the wood and use as little as possible.
• Stack extra wood upwind and away from the fire.
• Keep the fire small enough to be extinguished quickly and easily.
• Never leave a campfire unattended, not even for a minu...