How to Set Up Your Property for Safe Campfires

Camping trips often conjure images of family and friends gathering around a cozy campfire after a day of exploring the outdoors. It’s hard to not love campfires — they bring warmth on a cold night, shared stories, great meals, and of course… s’mores!

However, fire is a volatile element that can cause major problems if safety rules aren’t respected. Concern regarding wildfires has only grown in recent years, and it’s up to all of us to do our part to make sure campfires are enjoyed safely.

We take this issue very seriously at Hipcamp. We send all Hipcampers a fire safety quiz when they book trips, we built a fire ban tool, and we’re always thinking of other ways we can further  educate and support our community. As part of these efforts, we’d like to call on our Hosts to continue to reinforce these safety essentials and to make sure your properties are set up for safe campfires.

We’re sure that you care about fire safety a great deal already, and would love to hear your tips. Are there practices you’ve implemented on your property or introduced to Hipcampers that have helped visitors enjoy safe campfires? Write to Hipcamp Support, and we’ll incorporate tips from our Host community into this Journal post and any relevant support materials.

Important tips for safe fires

Know the law

• If campfires are not allowed in your county, do not allow them on your property.
• If there is a temporary fire ban in your county, do not allow fires on your property. Hipcamp has a fire ban tool you can use to alert Hipcampers with future bookings of the fire ban so that they can be up-to-date on the situation and not arrive expecting to have a campfire.

Review fire safety expectations with your Hipcampers

• Are you a meet-and-greet Host? Go over specific fire safety expectations with your Hipcampers when they arrive on your property.
• Are you a Host that instructs Hipcampers to check in directly to their campsite? Go over specific fire safety expectations via Hipcamp Messages before they arrive.
• Our fire safety Journal post can be a good resource to share with them.
• Help Hipcampers burn local wood by offering it onsite or by directing them to where they can purchase it nearby.

Prepare a safe area for campfires

• Offer a moderate-sized fire ring to help Hipcampers keep their fire reasonably sized and under control at all times.
• Keep the area around the fire pit clear of brush that could ignite from a flying spark.
• Consider providing a mesh lid for your fire pit to contain sparks.
• Print out our guide to having a safe campfire and keep it at your campsites.
• Consult local fire authorities for regional-specific tips for fire pits and having campfires safely.

Help Hipcampers fully extinguish their campfire

• Provide a 5-gallon bucket and a shovel at each site.
• If you provide water on your property, make sure Hipcampers know where to find the water. Signs to show the way can be really useful!
• Instruct Hipcampers to bring water themselves if you don’t provide it on your property.

Taking the time to set Hipcampers up for a safe and memorable campfire can go a long way! Thanks for going through these key points and thinking about what you could implement to help everyone be more fire safe. We hope you’re able to enjoy a nice night under the stars with a campfire and good company sometime soon.