Do you love a good campfire?

Posted On Tuesday June 11, 2019

Why do we enjoy sitting around a campfire?

A University of Alabama study finds watching fire lowers blood pressure and helps us to relax. Their hypothesis: sitting by a fire engages all of our senses creating a calming experience.

Moreover, the social interaction…singing, talking, laughing… all go a long way towards enhancing the feel good experience!

As you enjoy that campfire, please remember safety first!

Humans cause slightly more than half of all wildland fires in Canada, typically in populated forest and grassland areas. Because of where these fires occur, they are usually spotted early and can be reached quickly by firefighting crews. Still, the threat they pose to human safety and property makes them a major concern for firefighting crews. National Resources Canada

Here are a few campfire safety DOs and DON’Ts to help keep you and your family safe this summer.

CAMPFIRE DOs

  • Light a fire only when an adult is present and in charge.
  • Keep young children and pets away from the fire.
    • Teach children how to STOP, DROP and ROLL should their clothing catch on fire. 
  • Make sure your campfire is a safe distance from your tent or anything that can burn.
  • Use rocks to create a fire ring in the center of a large cleared area.
  • Use the Drown-Stir-Drown-Feel method to put out your campfire safely.
    • Douse with water; stir dampened coals with shovel; douse with water again. As an added precaution, shovel sand or dirt to cover the dampened coals to smother any remaining embers.

CAMPFIRE DON’Ts

  • Don’t start a campfire when it is windy.
  • Don’t leave a fire unattended.
  • Don’t leave your fire without first putting it completely out.
  • Don’t use flammable liquids to start a campfire.
    • Use crumpled paper and/or kindling
  • Don’t extinguish a campfire with just dirt or sand — add WATER!
    • Use the Drown-Stir-Drown-Feel method
  • Don’t bury warm/hot coals or ashes in a campfire pit.
  • Don’t burn glass, cans, plastics, or garbage in your campfire.
  • Don’t play or goof around near a campfire.

Source: SmokeyBear.com & Middlesex County

You can find out more about campfire safety and open-air burn bylaws on the following sites.

London.ca

Middlesex County

Attached you will also find London and Middlesex Centre’s quick guides to their Open-Air Burn Bylaws along with Smokey Bear's full guide to campfire safety.

Have a safe summer!