What are the rules around using fire pits at home?

You can't have a fire pit in your yard during a total fire ban period. (Pexels: Dzidu King) Link copiedShareShare articleWith winter in full swing, a cosy night with friends or family at home around a fire can be a great way to enjoy the colder weather. But there are some rules when it comes to using fire pits and things to be cautious about, including open-air fires being a nuisance to your neighbours. Whether you can have a fire pit in your backyard depends heavily on where you live and current fire restrictions. Fire departments in each state and territory will have their own fire ban map, or you can contact your local council for information. Trevor Owen, chief officer at Victoria's Country Fire Authority, says you cannot have a fire pit on a total fire ban day. During a fire danger period (when CFA restricts the use of fire in the community), he says there are some conditions on where you can use them. "The fire danger period is when most people use fire pits, on those semi-warm nights, coming into spring or in autumn." Mr Owen says the wind should be no more than 10 kilometres per hour, "only a subtle breeze". Other considerations for fire pits, braziers and chimineas from the CFA include: Outside of fire danger periods, rules fall to municipal by-laws. For example, Brisbane City Council permits braziers and fire pits in a residential area as long as: There are ways you can keep your fire pit safe, and limit smoke being a nuisance to your neighbours. (Pexels: Matheus Bertelli) Consumer advocacy group CHOICE has compared different types of fire pits. A round, rustic-looking pit known to be hard-wearing, durable and long-lasting. They're heavy and can leave oxidation marks on supporting surfaces. One of the cheapest types of fire pit, they're available at hardware stores. They can be built to look like cast-iron or stainless-steel pits but are prone to rust and deteriorate much quicker than cast iron or stainless steel. These work in a similar way to cast-iron fire pit without the rustic vibes. Durable, hard-wearing and not prone to rust, but can be more expensive. Brick fire pits are generally built into your yard. You can have a professional install a brick fire pit or do it yourself (note, this might not meet the CFA guidelines of being a properly constructed fireplace). These fire pits use a secondary combustion system. CHOICE says they work by drawing air from the bottom of the pit up the side walls and then injecting it back through vent holes around the lip of the fire pit, creating jets of fire that burn the smoke before it leaves the pit. Durable, and good for people concerned about smoke inhalation. The CFA recommends placing your fire pit on a flat, solid, non-flammable surface such as concrete, dirt, or a paved area. Mr Owens says you also need to make sure you're burning safe materials. "Burn natural wood that you would normally get for the purposes of a campfire, not wood you would use from a building site, for example, where material could be treated." Brisbane City Council says safe residential braziers and fire pits should only burn: Painted or treated wood, plastics or any other rubbish should not be used. Mr Owens says it's important to ensure the wood is dry and to be careful of embers flying out from the fire. A spark guard or mesh screen over the fire pit can prevent embers from escaping and landing on nearby items or people. Mr Owens also recommends removing trip hazards and monitoring drug or alcohol intake around fires to prevent injury or death. "You can easily trip back or forward into a fire. "Often there are cases where we attend and unfortunately, we find people are impacted with lifelong injuries." To extinguish your fire safely, Brisbane City Council says to use water. Never cover with sand or dirt. Smoke can cause a nuisance to neighbours and, if severe enough, can also be a health risk. Brisbane City Council says if the smoke impacts your neighbours, you may be directed to put the fire out. Other advice from the council for being considerate to neighbours includes: The Victorian government's Better Health Channel warns that wood smoke contains particles and gases that may affect your health. "Most healthy people recover quickly from exposure to wood smoke and do not suffer long-term effects, however any exposure to fine particles has the potential to affect health," it says. Concerns have previously been raised about the increase of smoke in the atmosphere through recreational fires. If you're worried about how using a fire pit may impact your health, experts suggest discussing it with your GP.

What are the rules around using fire pits at home?

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