Outdoor Burning Safety

Grilling, campfires, and outdoor fires bring families and friends together – and by taking some precautionary steps, fire-related incidents and injuries can be avoided, as outdoor fire accidents sends thousands of people to the emergency room with burn injuries every year!

How to use this toolkit

The toolkit contains content that you can share on Facebook, “X”, Instagram, and other social media channels to increase awareness about outdoor burning and outdoor fires. You can copy this content or customize it to reach your audience.

Click on the image you would like to share – “save as” – utilize on social media platforms, website, printed material, or anywhere else you would like. 

Additional Tips

Campfires

  • Keep campfires at least 25 feet away from any structure and anything that can burn
  • Clear away dry leaves and sticks, overhanging low branches and shrubs
  • Avoid burning on windy, dry days
  • Never let children or pets play or stand too close to the fire
  • Attend to the campfire at all times as lef along for only a few minutes can grow into a damaging fire
  • Never use gasoline or other flammable or combustible liquids

Outdoor Burning

  • Check with your local fire department or municipality for any restrictions before starting an open-air fire – Obtain proper permits, if required
  • When allowed, open fires such as bonfires, yard waste fires, or trash fires need to be at least 50 feet from anything that can burn
  • Where outdoor burning is allowed, never burn plastics, construction debris, treated lumber, tires, pesticides, paint, or aerosol containers
  • Have a hose, bucket of water, or shovel with dirt or sand nearby to extinguish the fire
  • Avoid burning on windy, dry days as embers from open burning can ignite nearby structures or cause a wildfire