Suppose you want to burn waste or a large amount of wood from your garden or farm; you may have to light a bonfire. You can also light a bonfire in your yard with family and friends as part of a celebration. Since a bonfire is a big, controlled fire that produces intense heat and smoke, you might wonder whether it’s safe to have one either in your own backyard or elsewhere.
Bonfires are not completely safe as any mishap could occur at any time. Also, it produces smoke which can harm people, animals, and the environment. However, you can reduce the risks a bonfire poses by applying basic safety measures and following the bonfire rules in your area.
In this article, I’ll explain the types of bonfires, the potential risks of a bonfire, and what to do before lighting a bonfire. I’ll also tell you how to be bonfire safe and give you some bonfire rules to help you stay legal. Here we go!
Why Bonfires Are Not Completely Safe
Although bonfires are not illegal in some countries, government and local officials generally discourage civilians from lighting them unless it’s vital. While lighting bonfires can be painless and sometimes enjoyable pastime it can also be problematic because wherever there is fire, there are potential dangers.
Here are some potential risks of a bonfire:
- A bonfire can pollute the environment. As it burns, it produces smoke with pollutants such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Such gasses are dangerous as they pollute the environment.
- It can produce a foul smell. A bonfire for burning rubbish becomes foul smelling as materials such as paints, rubbers, and plastics burn. The foul odor can be a nuisance to both people and animals leaving you to field a visit or call from the local authorities.
- The smoke could produce dangerous chemicals. The smoke from a bonfire can produce hazardous chemicals such as nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, acid gasses, and dioxins. Such chemicals are harmful to humans and animals when inhaled.
- Smoke can reduce visibility on roads and highways. Depending on the size, frequency and carbon content of the bonfires in an area, smog can become a significant problem. As it builds, it could make the roads and highways foggy, thus reducing the driver’s visibility. This could lead to road accidents that endanger the lives of drivers and other road users.
- A bonfire could be risky and unsafe. Fires can get out of control quickly even when you think you have everything under control. If a bonfire gets out of control, it could spread to electric cables, fences, and trees, quickly becoming a problem for the local fire department. If a bonfire gets out of control, it could also lead to a wildfire, spreading quickly and causing immense damage to lives, property, wildlife, and nature.
Types of Bonfire
A bonfire is a big, controlled fire you light outdoors. You can light the bonfire using pieces of dry wood, kindling, and matches. After lighting the bonfire, you must keep fueling it to keep it burning.
There are two major types of bonfires:
A Garden/Farm Bonfire
Once in a while, you may light a fire in a section of your garden or farm to burn waste materials. These materials may include weeds, grass, tree branches, turf, refuse, and a variety of other things. Such a large fire produces intense heat and smoke and is, thus, a bonfire.
A Celebratory Bonfire
Sometimes, you may build a bonfire in your yard as part of a celebration; you light the fire for entertainment and warmth. To keep the bonfire burning and produce intense heat, it’s best to fuel it with large, carbon-heavy items such as logs and wooden pallets. Such a bonfire can burn for hours if you supply it with a healthy amount of fuel.
What To Do Before Lighting a Bonfire
Since a bonfire is a big fire that produces a lot of heat and smoke, it can be a nuisance to neighbors, the public, and animals. It can also be a safety concern for people, animals, and the environment. Consequently, it’s vital to take a few precautionary measures before you even start the fire.
Here are a few things to do before starting a bonfire:
- Find out the bonfire rules in your area. The laws relating to bonfires may vary from one country or state to the other. Therefore, it is best to find out the rules regarding bonfires in your area before you light one. Doing so will keep you on the right side of the law and prevent you from facing hefty fines or potential jail time.
- Alert your neighbors about the bonfire. Once you’ve confirmed that lighting a bonfire in your area is legal, tell your neighbors about the bonfire you intend to have. Telling your neighbors is courteous, and it also enables them to plan their day accordingly. For example, it gives them ample time to remove any clothes from lines and close their windows to ward off the worst effects of the smoke.
- Check the day’s weather. It’s best to check the day’s weather before lighting a bonfire. For instance, avoid lighting a bonfire on a windy day as the wind could blow sparks to people or nearby surfaces, leading to injuries or property damage. The smoke might also drift off to the roads causing problems for drivers and potentially putting you in trouble with the authorities.
- Choose a reasonable time. Although you can light a bonfire at any time if the law allows, early morning is best for lighting a garden bonfire while evening hours are great for lighting a bonfire for fun. Early in the morning and during the evening, your neighbors are less likely to be seriously affected by the smoke because they are probably indoors.
- Prepare yourself appropriately. Lighting a bonfire for whatever reason requires some planning. For instance, you need to know how to light the fire, keep it burning, and control it. You should also know what to do and use if the fire becomes uncontrollable or if there’s excess smoke.
How To Be Bonfire Safe
As I mentioned earlier, there is no surety that your bonfire will be safe because fire is unpredictable. However, there are a few things you can do to be as safe as possible.
Light the Bonfire in a Safe Place
It’s best to light the bonfire in a safe place where nothing is at risk of catching fire. A secure section should be away from the following:
- Buildings
- Sheds
- Overhead cables and wires
- Communication masts
- Main roads
- Grass
- Trees
- Bushes
- Fences
Ensure the Bonfire Causes Minimal Smoke Problems
The smoke from the bonfire can be a nuisance to people and animals because it can smell terrible and linger in the air for long. In addition, smoke from a bonfire can be harmful to humans and animals as it contains harmful particles and gasses. Some ways of minimizing a bonfire’s smoke nuisance include:
- Lighting the fire away from your neighbor’s home to minimize smoke nuisance to them.
- Lighting the fire away from public roads protects road users from reduced visibility.
- Use dry materials to light the bonfire as damp materials cause excess smoke.
- Avoid burning painted, treated, or coated items, or plastics, tires, and materials containing foam as they can produce toxic fumes and lots of smoke.
Avoid Using Unsafe Materials To Light and Fuel the Bonfire
Many bonfire mishaps happen because of using dangerous materials to light and fuel the fire. Some of the materials may lead to an uncontrollable bonfire or explosions. Below are some unsafe materials to avoid when lighting or fueling a bonfire:
- Paraffin, spirits, and petrol are unsafe for lighting a bonfire as they can cause the fire to spread uncontrollably. So, avoid using them to light the bonfire.
- Canisters, cylinders, polystyrene, and aerosols are unsafe materials to fuel a bonfire as they contain highly flammable ingredients. They could therefore explode, causing injuries to people and animals.
Use Appropriate Tools To Adjust the Burning Materials
When dealing with a bonfire, it’s good to have proper tools to adjust the burning materials to keep the fire burning. Using the right tools protects your hands and fingers from getting burned as you try to adjust the fire. A couple of options for this are fire tongs and fire pokers.
Generally you’ll want something long to protect your hands. More importantly, it should also be fire resistant with a high heat conductivity.
Heat conductivity allows the material to conduct heat across its body as opposed to insulators which will just burn when they come in contact with fire.
However, note that conductive materials will heat up as you hold them so it’s best to have an insulating material as a hand grip to protect your hands from nasty burns.
Ensure the Bonfire Is Always Supervised
It’s best to ensure that the fire is always supervised by an adult. Doing so prevents children, unruly adults, and pets from playing with the fire and getting injured.
Keeping a watchful eye on the fire also prevents it from spreading uncontrollably and causing damage to property and the environment.
Keep Water Nearby for Any Eventuality
As I stated earlier, a bonfire is unpredictable; it’s, therefore, best to keep water nearby in case of a problem. You can keep buckets of water nearby or have a water pipe or sprinkler ready to deal with any emergency. Alternatively, you could put sand or a fire extinguisher on standby.
Bonfire Rules To Help You Stay Legal
Bonfire rules may vary from region to region; some places may allow bonfires while others don’t. However, there are bonfire rules even in regions that permit bonfires. The bonfire rules are supposed to help you stay on the right side of the law and protect you, other people, and the environment.
Below are some bonfire rules to help you stay on the right side of the law:
- Find out the bonfire rules of your area and follow them to the letter. If your state or local laws allow bonfires, ensure you read and follow them carefully to stay on the right side of the law. Breaking any bonfire rules could lead to hefty fines from the authorities and potential lawsuits from affected neighbors.
- Get a bonfire permit. In some places, the authorities may require you to get a permit to light a bonfire on private land, public land, or on the beach. For instance, in South Walton, Florida, USA, you should have a beach bonfire permit. So, don’t light an impromptu bonfire. Get a license to avoid a hefty fine or jail term.
- The permit holder should be present during the bonfire. In some places, the authorities expect the permit holder to be present during the bonfire. A police officer or fire official might get wind of the bonfire and pass by. You should be present to answer any questions and present your permit to prevent any trouble with the law.
- An adult should supervise the bonfire. In many places, an adult over 18 should be present until a bonfire is over. This rule tries to ensure the safety of people, pets, and the environment. Breaking this rule can land the people involved in trouble with the law.
- Ensure smoke doesn’t float across nearby roads or highways. In some countries, it’s illegal to allow smoke to drift across nearby roads or highways. The smoke could block the drivers’ views, leading to accidents. Call the necessary authorities if your bonfire’s smoke is spreading to the highway before the situation worsens. If this happens you should also put out the fire as quickly as possible.
- Ensure the bonfire doesn’t cause disturbance to the neighborhood. Your bonfire shouldn’t cause disturbance to the extent that it diminishes your neighbors’ comfort on their own property.
- Extinguish the bonfire when it burns out: If you light a bonfire, the authorities expect you to extinguish it when you are done to prevent it from reigniting. Don’t leave the ashes smoldering. Put them out with cold water and smother them with soil or sand.
- Clean up the area. If you light a bonfire on the beach or a public place such as a campsite, cover the ashes with sand or soil and clean up the area. In other words, leave no trace for the sake of the environment and the people who’ll use the place in the future.
- Call the Fire & Rescue Service if the fire gets out of control. If you feel like the fire is getting out of control for whatever reason, call for help immediately before it causes injuries to people and wildlife or destruction to property.
Conclusion
Lighting a bonfire to burn waste from your garden or farm or a nice toasty bonfire for fun may benefit you. It enables you to get rid of waste quickly and cheaply. It’s also a great way of bonding with family and friends, especially on those cool evenings.
However, a bonfire also comes with some risks. So, if you have a bonfire; it’s best to stay bonfire safe to protect yourself, your neighbors, property, and the environment. It’s also good to follow the bonfire rules in your area to stay on the right side of the law.
