Safety and control

• Never leave a fire alone, not even for a few minutes.
• Keep the fire small: enough for what you need.
• Do not light a fire in strong wind, or during a Red Flag Warning from the National Weather Service.
• Keep children and pets at a distance; long hair and synthetic clothing catch fire easily.
• Keep water and a shovel next to the fire at all times.

How to put it out

1. Drown it with plenty of water until it stops hissing.
2. Stir the ashes and coals with a shovel or stick.
3. Soak again. If you have no water, use dirt (do not bury it without stirring: the coals stay alive under the dirt).
4. Check with the back of your hand near the ashes: if you feel heat, repeat. If it is too hot to touch, it is too hot to leave.