With campfire season here, the OPP and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) are offering the following Campfire Tips:
- Choose a site:
- Pick a site close to a water source and sheltered from the wind.
- Build your fire on bare rock, bare dirt or other non-combustible material (mineral soil).
- Build your fire at least one metre away from any flammable materials.
- Make sure the space above the fire is at least three metres from overhanging branches & vegetation.
- Prepare the site:
- Clear a space about two metres wide for the fire.
- Remove pine needles, grass, leaves & twigs.
- Scrape the area right down to the mineral soil.
- Ensure you have a pail of water & a shovel to control the fire.
- Build your campfire:
- Keep your fire small to a maximum of one metre high & one metre wide.
- Remember that small fires are safer, easier to control & easier to put out.
- A small fire will also keep cooking tools from blackening & let you get close enough to cook.
- Stay nearby:
- Never leave a campfire unattended.
- Remember that you are responsible for tending your campfire, ensuring it is kept under control, and for putting it out.
- Put the fire out:
- Pour lots of water on the campfire.
- Stir the ashes with a stick.
- Pour more water over top of the campfire.
- Stir the ashes with a stick again.
Repeat until:
- the ashes are cold to the touch
- the ashes don’t hiss
- the ashes look soaked
- no more smoke comes from the ashes
