When and Where Can You Have a Bonfire? - Your Guide to this Beachy Tradition

A bonfire on the beach is a fun, memorable way to end a vacation or celebrate the start of summer with friends. But while bonfires may seem carefree, they can be incredibly dangerous, not to mention illegal.

If your perfect summer plans involve roasting marshmallows in the sand, keep reading to learn what you need to know about bonfire laws.

Check Local Bonfire Laws

Unfortunately for anyone looking to plan their own fun beach bonfire, there are no national or international laws on the activity.

Instead, cities, counties, and communities set their own bonfire laws. These laws may even change from one beach to the next within the same city.

While cities may allow bonfires on one beach, they may restrict them on others. Sometimes this is to protect wildlife on certain beaches or because the beach is close to residential homes or businesses.

Before you decide to have a bonfire, it's important to check on local laws. In most cases, you can find these laws with a quick internet search. If you can't find the answer online, don't just assume that means that bonfires are legal on the beach in question.

Instead, you should call the local public parks department or equivalent municipality to ask what their laws are on bonfires.

If you aren't sure of local bonfire rules and don't want to get in trouble for something you didn't know, it's best to stick to a bonfire rental. Letting a company that's familiar with local laws and regulations takes away all of the worries so that you can focus on enjoying your bonfire instead!

Learn How to Host a Responsible Bonfire

Just because bonfires are legal on a beach doesn't mean that you can just pile up wood and set it on fire.

Practicing fire responsibility is important not just because it will help keep your bonfire legal, but also because it will help keep you and anyone else nearby safe.

Always clear away any brush and debris from an area before building your bonfire. Never place your fire directly on the ground, unconfined.

Instead, build a fire pit from rocks, or use a metal fire pit. These will help to contain the flames and keep your wood and other kindling from tumbling away from your fire and igniting anything around it.

Never light a fire of any kind when high winds are in the forecast. These may catch any small kindling or blow sparks on the fire onto anyone sitting close to it.

If you have to use lighter fluid to start your fire, be cautious of where you spray it. Spraying it outside of your fire pit could cause flames to surge further than you'd expect, which could burn anyone standing nearby.

Finally, always have a bucket of fire near your pit to put it out if it begins to grow out of control. When you're finished enjoying your fire, put it out completely. Even a small flame can grow out of control with the help of a light breeze.

Planning Your Own Summer Bonfire

Following bonfire laws and practicing fire safety is a must if you want to enjoy this fun summer tradition.

For more tips and advice on enjoying safe and fun summer adventures, check out the rest of my blog!