Safety: Camp Fires Frog Find (scroll down right column) Home: greenlightwrite.com featuring |
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Safety: Camp Fires Frog Find (scroll down right column) Home: greenlightwrite.com featuring |
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Family Safety Great Outdoors Travel The focal point of any camp site is the camp fire whether its purpose is warmth, cooking or ambiance. But even if you're an experienced camper, it's easy to neglect fire safety technique. Since we all love nature, these tips will help keep the forests and animals residing there safe. |
Check local drought conditions. Fires may be prohibited. If allowed, find out if a campfire permit is required. Do not leave children unattended near any fire. Never leave a campfire or any fire unattended. Use a campfire pit with a metal fire ring if one is available at your campsite. If not, chose a fire location away from overhanging tree limbs, dry grass and hillsides because fire can easily run up an incline. Remove all the leaves, pine needles and sticks down to the dirt in a cirlce 10 feet in diameter. Dig a two to three foot wide shallow pit, about six inches deep, in the cleared open area. Rim the shallow pit with rocks or dirt as a fire break Collect only dead and dry wood from the ground. Never break off hanging tree branches even though they may appear to be dead. Don't use green wood - it won't burn. Don't make a large fire because a small fire is easier to control and because other campers may need firewood, too. Gather kindling such as small dry sticks, paper plates, dry grass, etc., that is easily ignited to get your fire started. Center the kindling in the middle of the fire pit. Build an Indian teepee (pyramid shape) of larger branches over top of it. Light the kindling with a match or use a propane fire starter with a trigger. Once the fire is lighted, toss in your match or immerse it in water to be certain it is completely out. Add larger branches as the fire gets bigger. Add short logs if you want your fire to burn longer. Don't let the flames get higher than four feet or it can get out of control. Pile extra firewood away from the flames, making sure it is upwind from the fire. Don't build a fire on a windy day. Watch the weather conditions. If the wind picks up, douse your fire. Watch for popping embers that fly up into the air. They may land on a tent or something else flammable. Camping equipment needs to be kept away from your actual fire. Keep a pail of water close by along with a shovel if the fire begins getting too big. Melted ice makes a good source of water. Take a fire extinguisher along and keep it available just in case it's needed. Make sure everyone in the family knows how to work it. Don't throw any glass or plastic into your fire. When you're ready to turn in for the night, make certain you only leave embers burning and that all lightweight flammable materials are secured, such as folding chairs and umbrellas in case the wind picks up while you're sleeping and blows them into the embers. About an hour before you're ready to pack up to go home, put the fire out. This way, you can keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t reignite. Although the fire may appear to be out, pour water on it because the embers may still be smoldering beneath. Continue doing so until there is no longer a sizzling sound. Then, with the long handled shovel, dig down into the fire pit and stir the embers, pouring more water on them and stir it again, adding still more water. Move any rocks surrounding your campfire and pour water where they were because a smoldering ember could be hiding beneath a stone. Finally, feel the embers with your bare hands. If you're sure the fire is completely out, you've nothing to fear. If you're not sure, pour more water onto it and stir it again. Don't just bury the embers with dirt. They still could smolder underneath. Be safe and use common sense as you appreciate what Mother Nature has to offer us all.
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