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Protect your grass against portable fire pits

Beginner Intermediate Advanced

Weekend

With the winter weather here, many people stay warm with garden fires during their entertaining. But don’t forget there are a few things you’ll need to do in order to prepare your lawn so that you do not damage the grass beneath or accidentally start a bigger fire.

Using a portable fire pit is much simpler than digging a permanent installation in your back yard, but you still need to do some preparation to protect your lawn from the heat of the fire. Follow our tips below to ensure you do not damage your lawn:

Rake the area where you will set up the fire pit to remove all dead grass and other combustible materials. Bag all discarded material and move it away from the fire pit area.

Make a temporary platform for the fire pit by laying bricks or blocks on the grass in an area slightly larger than the fire pit. This will keep the heat from burning the grass directly underneath the flames.

Place the portable fire pit in the middle of the patio block platform and build a fire inside. Avoid the use of lighter fluid or any other chemicals that create extremely hot flames. Allow the wood to catch fire naturally and slowly.

Place a spark screen on top of the fire pit once the flames are established. This allows you to see and enjoy the fire while capturing sparks, keeping them from floating into the air and possibly landing on the lawn and burning it.

Keep a fire extinguisher or hose nearby the entire time you use a fire pit. If a spark or flame gets free, put it out immediately.

Remove the patio blocks the next morning after they have cooled to allow your lawn to recover from being crushed.

Water well to help recovery.