Backyard Fire Pits: Safe Until Summer's End

With school starting, it's easy to forget that summer lingers well into late September, and the weather remains warm enough across the U.S. for most of us to continue enjoying our yards. The nights, however, are cooler than they've been in months, making those wonderful outdoor fire pits more appropriate than ever. What's more pleasant than sitting outside with friends and family, some good food and drink, and maybe even or guitar or two around a warm, flickering fire?

This is the perfect time to get your backyard fire ablaze and savor the remains of summer. But before you rush outside to light the kindling, take following quiz about fire pit safety. Even if you've enjoyed many fires in your life, you might learn something surprising...and it's better to be surprised by a helpful hint than a backyard blaze.

1. True or False: Water can damage some fire pits.
2. As a rule of thumb, never place your fire pit closer than:
   1. 6 feet to any flammable objects or materials.
   2. 5 feet to any flammable objects or materials.
   3. 10 feet to any flammable objects or materials.
3. True or False: When using a fire extinguisher to put out the flames in your pit, use what is known as the PASS Procedure.
4. Once they are in use, most fire extinguishers last for:
   1. 8-to-10 seconds
   2. 30-to-40 seconds
   3. 40 seconds to one minute
   4. 2 minutes.
5. True or False: When burning wood in a bowl-shaped pit, you should make sure the pieces of wood are three-fourths the length of the diameter of the pit or longer.

Answers:

1. True. - Water can cause some ceramic and metal fire pits to crack. If you want to extinguish flames in such a pit, you can use sand. Keep it on hand!
2. C) - 10 feet is the standard distance that should always be between your fire pit and flammable objects or materials, including your house, trees, etc.
3. True. - The PASS Procedure means the following:
   • Pull the pin
   • Aim at the base of the fire
   • Squeeze the trigger slowly
   • Sweep the nozzle from side to side.
4. A) - 8-to-10 seconds only!
5. False. - Pieces of wood should be no longer than three-fourths the length of the diameter of the pit.

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