Having fun at a backyard cozy fire or outdoor campfire with your friends or family on a chilly night occasionally can unwind all your stress. What’s more vital in this aspect is to understand how to put out a fire pit aptly before heading to sleep apart from lighting it— for optimal protection. Else it can pose severe risks by flaring up instantly and the surroundings might become liable to damage.
Thus, you should take into account the methods with the precautionary guidelines of how to put out a fire pit quickly. So, let’s get started:
What Are Fire Pits Like?
The conventional fire pits contain a hole dug inside the ground. Nowadays, they come in various materials, shapes and styles and are made up of bricks, metal, masonry or steel mostly. They are primarily designed to contain the fire inside them, which is used either for getting warmth or for cooking purposes and to keep the fire from spreading.
Fire pits are largely seen on night campfire as they’re easy to manage and are economical.
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Types Of fire Pits
The pits are fueled either by gas or wood.
Gas-Powered Fire Pit
Gas-powered fire pits are largely used due to the convenience they offer. If you wanna know how to put out a fire pit that’s powered by gas then it’s quite simple to quench it by merely clicking a button.
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Wood-Burning Fire Pit
It catches fire by burning wood as fuel. You just need to make sure that the wood used is not damp as wet wood won’t produce fire and will also emit more smoke. Well-seasoned woods are great for use in fire pits, although they are comparatively costly.
They are a little more spacious than gas-powered pits but they’ve opening on one side only. But how to put out a wood fire pit needs more caution than the electric or gas ones.
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Fireplace VS Firepit
A fireplace, fitted at a chimney base, allows the sitting of a large number of individuals in front of it. It is usually placed indoors. Fire pits, on the other hand, are ideal for casual gatherings with their round or rectangular shapes — around which people can sit and interact. The smoke emissions in a fireplace move upward, in the chimney and thus out of the house. For this very reason, they can also be used during rain. While the smoke coming out of the fire pit isn’t directed upwards only, rather it can also move to other directions — especially due to winds. It can be used during severe weather conditions. Thus it’s important to consider how to put out a smokeless fire pit too.
A fireplace covers lesser space compared to a fire pit. Thus if you’ve minimal space and you want to spend cozy nights in your house, then go for a fireplace. In terms of budget, labor costs and materials, a fire pit is far better than a fire place. However, fire pits need more maintenance and cleaning which adds to their costs. A fireplace is safe in all aspects while a fire pit needs to be tackled carefully every time you use it.
In short, both fireplaces and fire pits are great for offering warmth and beautifying your homes.
As far as bonfires are concerned, they’re quite large so if you’re thinking of how to put out a bonfire, it needs more space for the execution and thus is difficult to control also. Besides, it gives off more smoke and heat than a fire pit.
Methods of Putting Out A Fire Pit
The following ways are helpful for decreasing the combustion and extinguishing the fire:
Don’t Add Further Fuel
If you wanna know a basic and easy step of how to put out a fire pit then you need some anticipation beforehand. For this, all you need to do is to stop adding any sort of fuel over approximately one hour or more in the fire.
You can also place the wood logs a little aside from the pit and separate them from each other.
Allow Fire to Dwindle And Then Burn Down on Its Own:
The most common query concerning how to manage a fire pit is can you leave a fire pit burning overnight. The answer is obviously no, it’s risky and shouldn’t remain unattended for the whole night. The reason is even a slight breeze might spread the sparks and resultantly would cause significant damage. In the United States, leaving a fire unattended is highly prohibited and illegal.
You need to be extra cautious if you’ve decided to let the fire die out itself and not extinguish it later by any means. The fire pit might lose balance and tip over eventually, especially if it’s placed on an uneven surface. So if the pit is abandoned, then it should be done by thoroughly cleaning up the space around it. Especially animals and kids need to be kept away from the fire. Anything that can add to fuel like dry grass or any wooden furniture can be dangerous.
If you aren’t letting the fire burn overnight and are planning how to extinguish a fire pit with any other method afterwards, then it’s fine to let it dwindle on its own for some time. When you don’t add any further fuel, then let the fire die out. This process should continue for over 20 to 30 minutes. Just clear any flammable object from the surroundings.
You can speed up putting out a campfire by spreading the embers using any rod or gardening shovel. Remember not to touch the fuel or the ashes if they’re still hot with your hands. Always use gloves for this purpose.
Soak The Fire Thoroughly with Water
Water is the best way to put out fire pit. When you’re done with the above two steps, drench the leftover fire ashes thoroughly with water. You can use a water jar or even a garden hose for this purpose. The hose is recommended if you’re finding out how do you put out a fire pit because if you pour water directly on the burning flames, blistering steam caused by it can cause harm. So if you saturate the fire with water, maintain a safe distance.
A Garden hose is a better way if you wanna douse the ashes. Remember to use its spray or shower mode instead of direct pouring.
Using water on a metal fire pit isn’t recommended as water can cause the metal to deteriorate with time. Adding water repeatedly to blow out the fire might even damage the material due to its sudden shift from hot to cold temperature. So it’s a great method if you’re wondering how to put out a wood fire pit.
Closely Inspect The Fire And Its Vicinity
You need to make sure the fire is fully extinguished and there are no ashes left that could further ignite the flames. If you still notice any spark, soak it with more water.
Use a spade or gardening shovel to stir the embers and examine whether the fire has completely cooled off or not.
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How to Put Out A Fire Pit Without Water?
Water isn’t the only best way to put out fire pit as there are other options as well. The alternate methods are as follows:
Use A Snuffer
Don’t have water nearby? Don’t worry, you can still find out how to put out fire pit quickly using a fire pit snuffer. Snuffer is formulated to properly cover the pit in the form of a metal lid. Its purpose is to end the oxygen supply of the fire, which would in turn blow the fire out completely.
Few fire pits available in the market come with snuffers. But if you’ve one without it, you can buy a snuffer separately after measuring your pit dimensions. The solo stove putting out fire pit has various portable and stainless designs and also comes with snuffers. If the snuffer doesn’t fit the pit accurately, air would somehow reach the ashes and burn them again.
Apart from putting out a campfire, snuffers would also keep debris and air contaminants away from the pit. They function best if you’re wondering how to put out a wood fire pit as they already have enclosed surfaces unlike the pits having cuts and multiple openings where the air would make its way and fire pit snuffer won’t be effective for quenching the night campfire or a bonfire.
Cover The Fire With Sand Or Dirt
Next, scooping sand or dirt is also quite effective for extinguishing the night campfire or the bonfire particularly if it has burned down a little. After this, mix it well with the ash to make sure no flames are left burning.
Sand would snuff the fire a bit slower than water. This method is particularly useful for how to put out a metal fire pit. Water isn’t good for the metal pits as water residing in them for longer spans can develop rust.
Try A Fire Extinguisher
When the fire gets out of control and can’t be pacified by simple means, there comes the fire extinguisher. It is mostly used during accidental fires or emergencies. Carbon dioxide found in the extinguishers displaces the oxygen that’s needed for combustion.
Their excess usage isn’t recommended as they are quite expensive. Besides, large CO2 exposure can cause health risks as well.
The same above methods are used virtually if you wanna know how to put out a fire pit in minecraft video games that involves various adventures like exploring, fighting and construction. Select what is the best way to put out fire pit considering the available apparatus.
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Guidelines for Safely Igniting The Fire Pits:
Before you install your fire pit, consider the following precautions. They would answer your questions like how to safely light fire and how to put out a fire pit.
Make sure to look over the recent fire danger rating in your proximity:
It’s crucial to examine the recent fire danger index of your surroundings before lighting and then putting out a campfire — as it involves the current wind speed, temperature, rain probability and humidity. If all these factors don’t go well with your fire adventure, then don’t risk yourself!
Keep a safe distance from flammable objects:
It’s always advisable to be safe than sorry. Now the question is: How far should you stay away from the fire? You need to ensure over 3 meters of distance from the fire to prevent any mishap.
Always consider the weather before igniting the fire:
as strong gusts of winds can spread the fire’s ashes. They in turn can cause unfortunate accidents. If you observe tree leaves moving due to the wind, then it’s a strong breeze and isn’t safe for fire. So you need to check the wind speed from the fire danger index before a night campfire.
Cover the pit with a spark screen:
This safety barrier helps to prevent the sparks from coming in contact with the surroundings and causing any unpleasant incident.
Ensure to keep animals and children away:
If you’re at a night campfire or hosting a bonfire at your house, then be extra vigilant — especially if the pets or kids are somewhere around the fire. That’s because the animals and children are not aware of the risks and hazards that fire might cause. So make sure to keep them away.
Not all wood types are suitable for fuel:
Every kind of wood and log is capable of burning, but not each type starts fire instantly. Some of them tend to give off irritants and toxic fumes that might cause skin allergies and breathing issues.
Besides, painted or any sort of treated logs might emit carcinogenic chemicals. Driftwood or wet wood isn’t great for burning as well because it has a high proportion of chlorine. That’s because it comes from the rivers or seas by the waves, heavy breezes or sea tides. The chlorine releases hazardous chemicals on burning. So such firewood should be avoided.
Check the material of the fire pit:
It’s essential if you’re using a do-it-yourself fire pit. The constituent materials of the fire pit need to be checked properly. If you find any material that isn’t safe and can add to the fire, either replace your fire pit with a better one or keep the precautions at hand.
Alcohol is a big no:
We don’t recommend drinking around the fire places as drunk individuals have no self-control and can hurt themselves by fire. Besides, alcohol itself is extremely flammable too due to its higher-octane number. It’s because whenever a flame is lit, ethanol forms vapors that burn with the air.
Consider the law regarding the fire pits in your surroundings:
It’s crucial if you wanna find out how to manage a fire pit. That’s because some areas don’t permit the installation of pits.
Thus the local rules concerning the pits should be inspected appropriately. In this case, we’ve got a solution for you i.e. electric fire pits, that can be used both outdoors and indoors.
Don’t add combustible agents to the fire pit:
If the fire is lit up using flammable liquids or gases such as fuels like petroleum grease, gasoline or paint then water usage isn’t recommended for putting out the fire pit that has been erupted by such fuels — as water stream could spread such ignitable fuels rather than putting them out. Such fires should only be treated with fire extinguishers.
Final Thoughts:
Several ways to put out a campfire or the one ignited in your home are discussed in this article. This way, you can enjoy the ambiance along with the warmth of the fire without worrying about how to smother it.
FAQs
Fire extinguishers are used if you’re searching for how to put out bonfire or any accidental fires. Using extinguishers is a bit tricky. You can master them by simply following the instructions available on the container.
- All you need to do is to open the seal by pulling the pin out.
- Position the nozzle towards the direction of the fire.
- Compress the handle of extinguisher to release the CO2.
- Lastly, move it towards each direction of the fire till the entire fire is snuffed.
When recycled logs or other environment friendly fuels are used in fires, they are better as their lesser quantities can efficiently burn a fire. Such fuels emit lesser pollutants, smoke and particulate matter compared to wood.
Now, how to put out a smokeless fire pit? It is done by the same methods as described above. However, this smokeless fire can be extinguished faster compared to the one ignited by using fuels like gasoline or kerosene.