Campfires are one of the best parts of camping, from the light and warmth of the fire to the heat for cooking, marshmallow roasting, and sharing horror stories and songs around the fire.

Despite this, every year, campfires that were not built safely cause wildfires. 

Building campfires can seem like a fun activity while camping, but it comes with a serious responsibility.

A campfire that is not properly built, maintained, and extinguished can quickly become a wildfire and harm the people, animals, and land around it. 

Before you plan your camping trip, it’s important to know how to build a campfire safely and properly.

Below are the top 10 campfire safety tips to ensure you enjoy your campfire safely and responsibly.

10 Tips for Campfire Safety Every Camper Should Know

1. Check Local Fire Regulations

When you’re planning to build a campfire, you should first make sure you know the fire regulations of the campground or wilderness area in which you are planning to build a fire.

Always pay attention to posted signs about fire and make sure there isn’t any local fire restriction.

Fire rules can change, so a campground that allowed campfires the last time you visited may have a temporary ban on them if the risk of wildfires is high, because during periods of high fire danger, campfires are not allowed.

While camping, you can also check the ranger’s station for their current campfire regulations.  

2. Build Fires In Designated Areas

In most campgrounds, there are designated areas called fire pits or fire rings, which are the only place you are allowed to build a campfire.

If a pet is not provided but campfires are allowed, then you can dig your fire pit in an open area away from overhanging branches, power lines, or other hazards that could catch on fire. 

Once the pit has been dug, circle the pit with rocks, and make sure there the pit is about ten feet separated from tents, shrubs, trees, low-hanging branches, sleeping bags, backpacks, flammable materials, or anything that could catch on fire.

This is especially important in winter conditions when you might be using specialized tents for snow camping that could be more vulnerable to heat damage.  

3. Avoid Accelerants

For campfire safety, you should never use lighter fluid, gas, kerosene, or other flammable liquids to start or maintain a campfire because these are dangerous and can cause flare-ups or explosions. 

You should always ensure that you completely extinguish and dispose of the match used in starting your campfire before it starts a wildfire of its own.

You can always pour water over the match or just throw it into the fire for safety.

4. Use Dry, Seasoned Local Wood

If you’re going camping to a distant site and you bring firewood from home, you could unintentionally be transporting insects and diseases and inadvertently introduce them into the forests where they weren’t found before. That’s why you should use local wood from the campground campsite or a nearby location.

It is also very important to only use dry seasoned wood when building your campfire because the wet or green wood will only create excess smoke, which is hazardous to your health and the environment, and will make the fire burn inefficiently.

5. Build A Small, Safe Fire

Once your pit is in place, you can start building a small but safe campfire because a smaller fire is way easier to control.

Start the fire with dried leaves or grass that will easily catch fire, then add kindling, small twigs, and sticks that are less than an inch in diameter. 

As the fire builds, keep it manageable before adding the largest pieces of wood to the fire to avoid building a huge bonfire.

A small fire surrounded by rocks will produce plenty of heat for both cooking and warmth. 

6. Always Have Water Or Fire Extinguishers

For campfire safety, you should never start a campfire without having a bucket of water, a shovel, and a fire extinguisher with you.

In case the fire needs to be controlled, the water can quench any runaway flames, and the shovel can be used to throw sand or dirt on any flames that jump the perimeter of your fire ring.  

It’s also a good practice to keep a few feet of ground outside of your fire ring watered down, so if a stray ember or flame jumps outside of your fire pit, it won’t gain any traction.

Make sure your fire pits are surrounded by rocks, stones, and not anything flammable.

7. Pay Attention To The Wind

A strong breeze can spread your campfire into a wildfire in an instant, so to ensure this doesn’t happen, keep anything flammable, including unused firewood, upwind and at least 10 feet away from the fire. 

The 10-foot rule also goes for your tent, backpacks, and clothing hung to dry. If it’s hot and dry or windy, it’s best not to build a campfire unless it’s needed for warmth or food. 

8. Teach Kids Campfire Safety

While camping with kids, you shouldn’t only be bothered about the risk of forest fires, because most kids get injured due to playing around the campfires. So don’t allow your kids and pets to play or be around the campfire unless they are with an adult.

Teach your kids about the dangers of fire, and always supervise them near the campfire. Involve them in other safe camping activities as how to set up a tent, to keep them engaged and learning important outdoor skills.

9. Never Leave A Campfire Unattended

A campfire should not be left alone, because even a small breeze can spread fire quickly, so there should be at least one set of eyes monitoring the fire at all times.

If you’re leaving the fire for a short period, like to take a quick hike, the fire should be completely extinguished. 

You’ll be able to easily restart it once you return. Now, remember building campfires is fun, but it comes with a lot of responsibility, so build safely.

For nighttime illumination around your campsite when the fire is out, having camping lanterns can provide safe, controlled lighting.

10. Extinguish The Campfire Properly

To properly extinguish your campfire, pour water on the fire, stir the ashes with a shovel, then dump more water on the fire.

If you don’t have access to water, you can douse it with sand or other things that don’t burn. The campfire must be cold before you leave it unattended. 

It will be harder to extinguish larger wood logs than smaller ones, so ensure they’re fully soaked with water.

You should also move the stones around the campfire to check for hidden burning embers underneath. And never bury coals from the fire because they can smolder and start to burn again. 

Conclusion

Campfires are one of the most enjoyable parts of camping, but they can also be dangerous if not built and managed properly.

By following these campfire safety tips, you can enjoy your campfire safely while minimizing the risks associated with outdoor fires. 

After extinguishing your campfire, remember to pick up your trash and leave no trace that you were ever there.

Whether you’re packing up after a week of camping or just stopped by for a moment, always leave the area in better condition than you found it.