How to Build a Safe Fire Pit in Your Yard - Even in the City!

One of the author's three fire pits . . .

Fire pits. They're alternatives to hiking off into the wilderness to build a campfire, or to paying $100 and up for one of those store-bought jobbies. If you have a yard, you can do this. Even if you're mainly accustomed to barbecues. This is free fun for the whole family!

Things You'll Need

• A shovel.
• Some rocks about the size of a football, or at least the size of a softball.
• A yard.

Instructions

1. 

   LOCATION: Find a spot that's clear of trees or other kinds of brush. At our home, we constructed a "Talking Circle" out of rocks (kind of goes with the territory when you're a philosopher), with the three fire pits placed about equidistant around it. But you don't have to be so elaborate. One simple spot will do, around which you can place some chairs and/or sleeping bags. I'm going to give you the simplest "recipe" here, but I'll add some safety tips and so on at the end of this article.

2. DIGGING: If this is your first time doing this, I recommend using a shovel (you'll need to own one, as subsequent steps will make clear) to dig a hole about 2 feet deep and 3.5 feet wide in diameter. Once that's all squared (or rounded, rather) away, straight down, all the way around, do this: remove all grass for another 8" beyond the lip of the hole.

3. THE EXTRA DIRT OR SAND THAT YOU'VE DUG UP: Form a mound with it, not far from the pit itself (no more than 10 feet away). Whenever you actually use your pit, break out your shovel beforehand and slam it down into your mound. Should the fire for any reason ever rise or drift beyond your comfort zone, simply use the shovel to pour dirt into the pit. This will virtually always bring it under control.

4. 

   PLACING THE ROCKS: Place the rocks around the 8" wide lip of the hole. I recommend using football-sized rocks (boulders?) to wrap around your pit. You'll probably need about a dozen of these. Any gaps can be filled in with smaller rocks, or you can also just use softball-sized rocks all the way around. The main rocks you use should stand up at least 4" off the ground, but preferably between 6" and 10".

5. 

   THE FIRE DEPARTMENT: It is always wise, and sometimes mandatory (as in our dry neck of the desert), to contact your fire department, let them know what you're up to, and obtain from them a fire burning permit. Follow their rules. Firemen and firewomen are virtually always great to work with, and they will gladly come out and inspect your handiwork.

6. 

   NEVER GO TO SLEEP WITHOUT COMPLETELY EXTINGUISHING YOUR FIRE: Lay it to rest before you lay your happily weary head down or decide to retreat into the house to have a drink with your late-night friends. First things first. Use the shovel and the sand or dirt to ensure that the embers have all been completely extinguished. For me, this is one of the nicest parts of the experience, because it's then that I get to reflect upon family, guests, and what was accomplished in this intimate setting. If you're lucky, your sky might look like the photo at the left even before the evening's festivities begin. Lucky us. Which brings us full circle to: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! -Larry Fike

7. 

   YOU'RE VIRTUALLY DONE WITH THE BASICS! Below, under Tips and Warnings, I'll add more elaborate advice, but I'll write a separate article eventually about how to build a fire. Obviously you'll need matches or a lighter, dry wood, and ideally some kindling (usually twigs, but you can use newspaper alone in a pinch. We use both.) Enjoy your pit in solitude, with family, and with friends. I certainly have. They're a great place to meditate, to converse, and to ponder the day's doings with loved ones.

Tips & Warnings

• Find an old barbecue grill or get some heavy-duty chicken wire to lie down into your pit before you start using it. Some of my friends even use tin cookie sheets. They are truly not necessary, but they provide some extra ease once you do end up having to clean out the ashes. (I suppose a tin sheet with vertical handles would be ideal, but I haven't tried that. Just make sure the handles are metal, and don't even touch them until a full 24 hours after you've put out your fire.)

• You can also use chicken-wire cut just over the outer border of the rocks if you're timid about this. That will provide you with an extra layer of protection and a sense of security. The drawback is that it might become more difficult to roast marshmallows and weenies, which we enjoy doing on disassembled hangers.

• This is just one of the very best ways imaginable to bring people closer together. And if you happen to live in an urban area, as I have most of my life, it provides a temporary escape for the "sense" of city.

• If you happen to have a big piece of tin lying around, place it in a handy spot not far from your pit. While care is required, this can be placed over the pit both when it is raining and also when your fire's almost "out" but you're not sure about the status of remaining embers.

• Have a telephone available. Should anything get out of control, have your fire department's number programmed into it and dial it immediately (I recommend having the fire department's number readily available even if you don't try this!). Sincerely, this has never been a real issue for us, but the precaution is wise.

• If you think or know you have sensitive neighbors, you should let them know what you're up to. Otherwise, they may end up calling the fire department "for" you. Invite them over!