DON’T build a fire without a source of water, a bucket or shovel nearby at all times.
DON’T cut whole trees or branches, dead or alive. Live materials won’t burn, and you’ll be damaging the forest. And dead standing trees often are homes for birds and other wildlife. Gather tinder (small twigs and dry leaves, grass and needles), kindling (sticks smaller than 1″ around), and fuel (larger pieces of wood) and keep anything you’re not using stacked upwind, away from the fire.
DO add kindling and fuel once the fire is lit itto keep the fire going.
DO keep the fire small and under control.
Maintaining & Extinguishing Your Campfire.
DON’T burn dangerous things like aerosol cans, pressurized containers, glass or aluminum cans. They could explode, shatter and/or create harmful fumes or dust.
DON’T burn anything unusual or combustible. It is common for people to throw garbage or other things into campfires, but these foreign materials can occasionally react violently to fires and lead to a quickly spreading fire.
DON’T leave children or pets unsupervised near the fire.
DON’T leave your campfire unattended.
DO fully extinguish your campfire. Allow the wood to burn completely to ash, if possible. Then pour lots of water on the fire, making sure to drown all the embers, not just the red ones. Pour until hissing sound stops. If you don’t have water, stir dirt or sand into the embers with a shovel to bury the fire. With your shovel, scrape any remaining sticks and logs to remove any embers. Make sure that no embers are exposed and still smoldering. Continue adding water, dirt or sand and stirring with a shovel until all material is cool.
DO remember: If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave.
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