Fall is here, which means that it’s time for football, pumpkin spice lattes, hoodies, vibrant foliage, and — of course — bonfires. These blazes are always fun to have with friends, but you need to be safe when you do. Here are a few tips to help.
Keep an Eye on Your Fire. – Don’t leave your fire unattended. There should always be someone there to make sure that it’s still a manageable size (and that it’s not going out). You also need to cut down any branches hanging over the fire to make sure they don’t catch, and keep any and all tinder and kindling well away from the fire so that it doesn’t catch either. It’s all a part of keeping an eye on things.
Put It Out Properly. – When you’re ready to put your fire out, pour tons and tons of water on the fire. Drown it. Make sure all of the embers are out, and that means all of them — not just the red ones. Keep pouring water on the fire until the hissing stops totally, and then stir your gross soupy mixture with a shovel. If you see any embers sticking to sticks and logs, scrape them off with your handy shovel.
Be Smart About Things. – Be smart about your fire, and don’t put stuff in it that doesn’t belong in a fire. Don’t put aerosol cans, or pressurized containers, because they could explode. Same goes for glass. It doesn’t melt in a campfire, but actually heats up, and shatters, sending dangerous, broken slivers of glass everywhere. Aluminum cans aren’t a good thing to put in the fire, either. Even though they don’t explode (thankfully), they break into smaller pieces, and release dust that’s incredibly harmful to your lungs.
Although there are commercial fire protection services out there that can help you secure your business, or fire alarm systems that can help make your home safer, when it comes to a bon fire, it’s up to you. If you have any questions, or know of any other fire protection tips, feel free to share in the comments. References.
