The first properly cold Friday in May, the fire pit comes out of the shed, the kids are chasing each other across the lawn and the dog is doing laps. It is the best night of the season, and the one where things go wrong fastest.
Fire pit safety around small children and pets is less about worrying than about setup: where the fire sits, what stands between it and a running toddler, and how it gets put out. Here is the safe zone, the supervision and the burns first aid, using fires from our fire pits range as examples.
Why an open fire changes the rules with kids and pets
Adults read a fire by its flames. Children and dogs read it by nothing at all. A bowl burned down to coals looks finished, but the metal and ash still hold enough heat to burn badly. Height matters too: a toddler's hands sit at fire pit rim level, and a dog's nose and paws sit lower again.
Clearance, surface and barriers: building the safe zone
Start with the ground. A fire belongs on a hard, level, non-combustible surface: pavers, concrete, or bare compacted earth clear of dry grass. Decking, synthetic turf and garden mulch are poor choices, because embers pit timber and melt synthetic fibres. The Firepit 72cm ($299) is a cast iron bowl with a cast iron trivet, and the whole body radiates heat.
Then clearance: two metres clear of anything that can catch, on every side. Overhead counts as well, so no branches, no umbrella canopy and no eave above the fire. A fire pit never belongs under a roofed alfresco, on a balcony, or inside a shed.
Barriers are the part most households skip. There is no equivalent of the AS 1926 pool fencing standard for backyard fires, so the barrier is on you. A fixed ring of seating a metre and a half back, gaps closed off, means a child must go around an adult to reach the flames.
Which type of fire is easiest to manage around a family
The shape of the fire decides how much supervision it demands. An open bowl gives the best flame and the most exposure. A chimenea holds the fire in a chamber with a small opening, so there is less flame at child height and sparks travel up the flue. The El Fuego Chimenea ($1,099) stands 130cm tall, includes a cooking grill and a rain lid, and burns all solid fuels. It is heavy cast iron, so the body gets very hot.
A masonry fireplace raises the fire off the ground and puts a firebox between the flames and the lawn. The Buschbeck Rondo Pizza Pro Package - Grey ($3,649) adds a pizza oven insert, and its product page describes twin-skin construction that circulates air so the outside stays cool enough to touch. Treat that as a design feature, not a reason to relax: the opening, the grill and the flue are all hot.
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Open cast iron bowl | Real flame, cooking over coals | Exposed on every side; the whole bowl gets hot |
| Chimenea | Contained firebox, small opening | Hot for hours; can be knocked; flue needs clearing |
| Masonry fireplace | Fire raised off the ground | Fixed position; opening and grill still hot |
| Gas or electric heater | Warmth, no embers or ash | Surfaces still get hot; heat, not a campfire |
Supervision, extinguishing and the heat that lingers
Give one adult the job for the whole night. Fire duty means staying within arm's reach, phone down, and handing over before walking away. The house rules are short: no running inside the seating ring, no sticks fed in by kids, no accelerants, and no treated timber. Metal skewers stay hot, so collect them handle-first into a bucket of water.
Pets need their own plan. Keep dogs on a lead for the first half hour, because a spark landing in a coat is not obvious until it is. Paws are the other risk, since a dog will lie against warm metal. Our guide to pet-friendly outdoor furniture covers the surfaces and fabrics that cope with claws, fur and muddy paws.
Putting it out takes longer than people expect. Let the fire burn down rather than loading it late, spread the coals with a poker, then add water slowly, a bucket at a time. Keep stirring until there is no hiss, no steam and no heat off the bowl.
Ash is the sleeper hazard, because it can hold enough heat to start a fire a day later. Shovel it into a metal bin with a metal lid, stand the bin on concrete, and never tip ash into a wheelie bin. Once everything is cold, a cover from the outdoor furniture covers range keeps rain, ash and curious paws out.
Burns first aid: cool running water for 20 minutes
If someone is burned, act straight away. Move them away from the fire, remove clothing or jewellery near the burn unless it is stuck to the skin, and hold the burn under cool running water for a full 20 minutes. Twenty minutes is the number that matters, and cooling still helps for up to about three hours after the injury.
Do not use ice or iced water. Do not put butter, oil, toothpaste, creams or ointments on a burn, and do not break blisters. After cooling, cover the area loosely with a clean non-stick dressing or clean cling wrap and keep the person warm, because 20 minutes of cool water on a May night chills a small child fast.
Seek medical help for anything more than a very minor burn. Call 000 for a burn that is large or deep, looks white or charred, or is oddly painless. Do the same for any burn to the face, hands or feet, over a joint, or on a young child. This is general information, not medical advice.
Fire bans, council rules and autumn nights
Rules vary by state and by council. On a declared total fire ban day you cannot light a solid fuel fire in the open, and a backyard fire pit counts. Check the day's status with your state fire authority, such as the NSW Rural Fire Service, the Country Fire Authority in Victoria or the Country Fire Service in South Australia.
Councils add their own rules on solid fuel fires, smoke and burning off. Under a strata scheme or body corporate, open flame on balconies and common property is often banned outright, so ask your council and building manager rather than assuming. If you run a flued fire, clear the soot before the season starts: a Flue Brushes Kit ($259) covers the handles and brush head for a 150mm flue pipe.
Fire pit safety — frequently asked questions
How long does a fire pit stay hot after the fire goes out?
Hours, and the ash can hold heat for a day or more. Cast iron cools slowly and a bed of ash insulates the coals underneath, so treat the pit as hot until morning unless you have extinguished it with water.
Are chimeneas safer than open fire pits for families?
A chimenea reduces exposure, because the fire sits in a chamber with a small opening and sparks go up the flue. It is not a safe fire, though: the body gets very hot, a tall unit can be knocked over, and the supervision rules do not change.
What do I do if a child touches a hot fire pit?
Get them under cool running water immediately and keep the burn there for 20 minutes. No ice, no creams and no popping blisters. Any burn on a child that is more than very minor should be seen by a doctor, and call 000 if it is large, deep, or on the face or hands.
Shop the range
A safe fire night comes down to the right fire, in the right spot, with someone watching it. Browse the fire pits and chimeneas, or the outdoor heaters if you would rather have warmth without embers. We deliver Australia-wide, delivery is free over $100, and most orders are dispatched in 3-10 business days.
