Campfire Safety

by Art Jones

Whether it is in your own back yard or in one of Saskatchewan’s Parks or other wilderness areas, sitting around a campfire is one of the most relaxing and enjoyable summer activities. While a campfire is something that can be enjoyed, if not handled with caution and care it can cause major damage. It just takes a few minutes of preparation and planning to make sure that your fire is both legal and safe.

The first step in building a safe fire is selecting a site. If you are building a campfire in a Saskatchewan Park or Recreation site the only place that you can do so is an approved barbeque or an approved fire pit. In all cases these are supplied by the Park and are placed in approved locations. Washtubs and other types of commercially marketed fireplaces are not permitted. You are not allowed to build a campfire on the ground in most provincial parks except for some wilderness parks.

When building a campfire you should take a look at the ground under the area you are planning to use as a campfire site.

“The best spot for a campfire is in a contained fireplace or pit. If these aren’t available make sure it’s built on bare soil, rock or sand,” says Rob Tether, Compliance Manager, Saskatchewan Environment.
“In addition to checking the type of soil you should also watch how close the fire is to things that can burn, such as grass and trees. The best fire site should be away from overhanging branches and should be free of anything that can burn. For the average campfire a safety zone of three metres in all directions is usually adequate. This distance should be increased if you are planning on building a fire that would be more intense than the average. That’s because the size and the type of material being burned will also drastically affect the size of the safety zone.”

The next step in building a safe fire is site preparation. Any material that you believe has a chance of burning should be removed. This would include all overhanging branches, shrubs, grass and roots. Other safety precautions include placing rocks around the outside of the campfire site before you start the fire and placing a grill over the top to prevent sparks from escaping.

Environment’s Tether says the third step is to pick the wood for your fire and get it burning. In the Provincial Forest you can harvest dead and fallen trees for firewood for your own use without a permit. In most Provincial Parks firewood is supplied for use in approved campfire areas with the purchase of a three-dollar daily campfire permit. Bringing firewood into a provincial park or recreation site is prohibited as is collecting or harvesting firewood within provincial park boundaries without a permit. Check with your local Park office for the policy on firewood collection.

Almost any type of wood will burn and make an enjoyable fire. The best material is wood that has been dead for some time and been allowed to cure. The safest way to start a fire is to start with lightwood or kindling. This would include small twigs, blocks of wood that have been split into small pieces or paper. Once your fire is going you can slowly add larger pieces of wood, graduallyincreasing the size and intensity of the campfire. Using items like gas to start a fire can be very dangerous and is not recommended.

Environment’s Tether says keep in mind that if you start a campfire you are responsible for it. This means that you must remain with the campfire until it is completely out.

“The easiest method of putting out a campfire is to have a good supply of water on hand,” says Tether. “Dumping water on the fire and then using a shovel or stick to stir it is the best method. This process should be repeated until the material that was burning is cold to the touch. Professional fire fighters check burned material with their hands, a practice called “cold trailing”, to ensure all portions of large wild fires are out. Doing this on a small campfire is the only foolproof method of ensuring your fire is completely out and preventing it from going wild.”

By following these simple steps you can be assured you can have a safe and enjoyable campfire experience.

For more information contact:

Rob Tether
Resource Area Manager
Saskatchewan Environment
(306) 236-9819
rtether@serm.gov.sk.ca

or

Art Jones
Communications Consultant
Saskatchewan Environment
(306) 787-5796
(306) 536-8452 (cell)
ajones@serm.gov.sk.ca