Safety for your outdoor firepitBy JHCadmin, October 23, 2009 Fire pits can offer a cozy and fun way to spend clear, Fall evenings. They offer a variety of activity for your family including s'more making, marshmallow roasting, singing, visiting and more. They can even assist you with educating your children about how to make a safe fire and keep it burning brightly.Here are some safety tips that Rich's for the Home recommends to keep your fire and family happy:Use Fire Starters to start the flames as opposed to paper. Paper breaks apart easily. It can blow away and spread flames.Make seating around the fire movable so that people can move back if flames get too big or too hot.As tempting as it is to place your fire pit right on your back porch, you should consider other placement if your porch is made from wood and/or if your house is within 8 feet of it.Don't use your fire pit to burn garbage.Stack wood near your fire pit in a safe (not towering) small pile. Better yet, keep it enclosed via a bin or wheelbarrow. Move remainder of wood far away from fire pit when done with fire.Don't toss in items that won't really burn. It is not the place for soda cans.Buy a screen for the top of your fire pit. Use it if embers start flying.Teach children not to run and play around the fire pit while a fire is burning.Teach children to respect the fire and the power of it. Show them what a flying ember can do to nearby leaves, for instance. Or how a stick turns black when it is placed in the fire.Instill rules such as not starting a fire without an adult home and how to make sure the fire is out when people are done with it. If you have small children, practice the "Stop" concept. Children need to learn that when you say "Stop!", they are immediately to stop moving and freeze wherever they are. Practice it often, reteach it as often as you can and demand respect of it. (This also helps you if you have a busy road near your home).Use long-handled lighters as opposed to short, wooden matches.Make sure that your wood supply is dry, versus green, and that you have a good amount of smaller pieces to assist in starting the fire.Recent Articles See All Rich's New Tigard, Oregon Store: A Chat with Manager Rick Campbell General Articles Author:Rich's For The Home Posted:February 1, 2023 Meet Tigard, Oregon store manager, Rick Campbell, who has been in the hot tub/patio/BBQ business more than 25 years in the Portland metro area. Read More Grill Islands - Easily Create an Outdoor Kitchen in Your Backyard Grills Author:Rich's For The Home Posted:January 2, 2023 Grill islands: Modular outdoor kitchens with grill(s), workspace, fridge, storage, and more. Read More Tartan and Sparkle Holiday Mantel - DIY Tutorial Mantel Decor Author:Rich's For The Home Posted:December 3, 2022 Step-by-step tutorial for your holiday mantel: How to create a classic tartan design. Read More DIY Winter Mantel Décor Tutorials: Golden Magnolia Wreath and Cinnamon Stick Votive Holder Mantel Decor Author:Rich's For The Home Posted:December 2, 2022 DIY Holiday Mantel Decor tutorial: Golden Magnolia wreath and cinnamon stick votive holder. Read More How to Transform Your Mantel to a Winter Wonderland Design Mantel Decor Author:Rich's For The Home Posted:December 1, 2022 We show you how to transform your fall mantel decor to a winter wonderland design easily and quickly! Check out our 15-sec time-lapse photo that shows us making the switcheroo. Read More Tutorial: 3 Easy DIY Fall Mantel Projects Mantel Decor Author:Rich's For The Home Posted:November 7, 2022 Illustrated tutorial: how to create 3 DIY fall mantel essentials: Stacked herringbone pumpkins, shabby-chic reversible mason jars, and Washi tape pumpkins. Read More