As the sun sets on your outdoor family vacation, a campfire is a great place for sharing your adventure over a melting marshmallow on stick. Whether you’re cooking, warming up, or just sitting and enjoying the crackle and glow, campfire safety is a must. Before you light that fire here are a few campfire tips:
Building a Safe Campfire
- Build your campfire only in a fire pit inside of a state or county campground. These campgrounds have been approved by the Oregon Department of Forestry for campfires.
- Before you light your fire, be prepared to extinguish it later – have a bucket of water at hand. Never leave a fire unattended.
- Keep your fire small – it will be easier to contain and faster to extinguish.
- Never leave a campfire unattended. Never leave children alone with a campfire.
Putting Out a Campfire
- Keep plenty of water handy for a quick response if the fire were to escape.
- Drown the fire with water making sure all embers, coals, and sticks are wet. If it is too hot to touch then it is too hot leave.
- Use a shovel, stir water and dirt into your campfire to make sure everything is wet and cold to the touch. Carefully run the back of your hand near the surface of the fire remains to double check all heat is gone.