After months of planning and working with your local landscapers, your fire pit installation project is complete, and your beautiful backyard dream has been realized. Now it’s time to enjoy your hard work with your favorite people while keeping safety in mind. Ensure safe outdoor fireplace use with these quick tips.

The Top 7 Tips for Using Your Outdoor Fireplace Safely

1. Never Leave the Fire Unattended

Never leave a fire unattended, even if it is only for a few minutes. If you need to go in your house or do anything else that takes you away from the fire, have at least one friend or family member outside to keep an eye on the flames.

2. Burn Seasoned Wood Only

Do not burn anything other than seasoned wood, such as plastic or trash, to avoid releasing toxic chemicals into the air. Seasoned wood burns cleanly at a higher temperature to produce less smoke and keep your backyard haze-free.

3. Have an Extinguisher Nearby

Place a fire extinguisher, bucket of water or sand, or a similar item within easy reach to quickly put out any burning embers or sparks from the fire pit installation.  Use a small screen to hide your emergency supplies if you are concerned it will interfere with your landscape design.

4. Use a Spark Screen

Install a spark screen to minimize the number of embers escaping your fire pit installation. Spark screens and arrestors make containing stray embers much easier and your fireplace considerably safer.

5. Maintain Your Distance

Even with a spark screen in place, you and your friends, family members, and pets should stand at least 3 feet away from the fire pit at all times. Explain this to your children and train pets to stay away.

6. Clean Regularly

Clean your outdoor fireplace regularly to prevent clogged fuel lines and vents. Pay special attention to the firebox, as rust weakens the metal box and can cause it to collapse. Regular cleaning and replacing avoids burning piles of wood on your patio, outdoor kitchen, or grass.

7. Don’t Overfill the Firebox

In addition to routinely cleaning the firebox, avoid overfilling it. Too much wood or fuel will overwhelm the box and could easily cause the fire to get out of control. If you are using a gas rather than wood-burning fireplace, keep the fuel away from the installation.

JK Landscape Construction has transformed residential properties throughout Clearwater, MN, for over a decade. The company’s wide variety of landscape design services include water feature and fire pit installations, outdoor kitchens, and retaining walls. Call (320) 558-4445 to start your next landscaping project or visit the website for product and service information. Follow the company on Twitter for more landscape design ideas and tips.