Nothing beats sitting around a campfire, roasting s’mores, strumming a guitar and singing and laughing and reminiscing with friends and family. There’s something about a campfire that warms up weary bones after a long day’s hiking and fosters lifelong memories. However, if you don’t pay caution, a campfire can ruin your trip.

 

When a campfire disagrees with nature, it can lead to nasty forest fires that can cause serious injury or even death, not to mention all the damages to the camping spot. This summer, use our environmentally friendly campfire tips below whether you go camping, make a bonfire on the beach, or use your fire pit in the backyard.

 

There have been many forest fires in Northern Ontario in the last year, and that always poses a threat to the forest and to our cottages.

 

Campfire Safety Tips

 

No matter the season, we all enjoy a good campfire, especially when we go camping. However, thousands of people are admitted to hospital for burns every year, and alarmingly, many of them include children younger than four years of age. These campfire tips will help keep your loved ones safe, and some of the tips also apply when you’re staying in a cottage at Hartley Bay Marina that has a fire pit.

 

·         Only build fires in designated pits or rings on dirt or gravel - never on grass.

·         Check the weather forecast. Wind can blow sparks or burning debris onto you or into nearby twigs.

·         Clear the area around the fire pit from twigs and dry leaves.

·         Don’t make a fire near your tent, car, camper or other flammable objects.

·         Build your fire from the bottom up, starting with smaller twigs and sticks. Place larger pieces pointed inwards.

·         Organize the wood in a square shape, and allow the fire to burn underneath to keep it contained.

·         Place your extra wood away from the fire, and upwind.

·         Don’t make a huge bonfire. Keep it small and easily contained.

·         Have a fire extinguisher or bucket of water nearby.

·         Teach small children to stop, drop, and roll, and do not allow them to stand close to the fire.

·         Do not burn foil, cans and plastic.

·         Never use any flammable liquid to start a fire. Accelerants can cause serious injuries or even death.

·         Be sure to extinguish the fire thoroughly by drowning it with water. Do not bury coals, as it can keep them hot and cause them to inflict burns for up to 24 hours.

·         Collect the remains of your fire if there is still garbage in it (when it has gone out), be courteous to others and place it in a trash receptacle or pack it out.

 

Finally, it is important to dismantle any structure you might have built. When camping in the Hartley Bay Marina area, please speak to our land managers if you have questions or need further information.

 

 

Image C/O pixabay – tags Campfire