
Using the Patio Firepit
You are welcome to light a fire in the fire pit if you will be spending time outdoors in the evenings.
PLEASE: if you're staying with us in the dry Summer months, please consider fire hazard. If it is windy, or if nearby trees or grass are dry and brown, don't burn a fire in the firepit.
If conditions are too hot and dry before your stay, we will clearly mark that a fire should not be burned. But, be a good judge of the fire risk.
Firewood is provided outside the street-side of the garden shed. You won't need any kindling or paper to start the fire.
Get the fire-starting parts in the kitchen, in the drawer below the appliance garage. Look for matches and fire-starter sticks. (Note that BBQ tools and parts are located here too)
To start the fire:
- Lay a couple of logs of firewood across each other in the bottom of the firepit
- Take a fire-starter stick from the package and place it half under the middle of the logs
- Use a match and light the exposed end of the fire-starter stick (they light easily)
- If the fire-starter stick is positioned so its flame will light the edge of the firewood log(s), you're in good shape
- As you start to get some flame, add a couple of logs in the areas where flame is strong, but don't smother the flame
- Soon, you'll have a nice, hot fire
- If you're enjoying a warm evening, we recommend you light the tiki torches -- they have insect repellent in them, and will help control the mosquitoes
Please limit the size of the fire to burn below the edge of the firepit. Flames should not be raging out of the firepit ring.
Please monitor the fire all the way until you have just glowing embers. Don't feed the fire more firewood than you're willing to monitor.
Note that voices and laughter are encouraged around the firepit, but these noises carry easily across the wetland and into the neighborhood. Please monitor one another after 6pm to be sure no loud voices or sounds will be a nuisance to our neighbors.
Please put all the fire tools back over on the wood pile, and push the upholstered chairs away from the firepit.
Don't forget, if you hang around the fire and it's dark when you go inside, pick up all your belongings off the lawn areas and even in the patio area. The sprinklers water on a timer in the middle of the night, and we wouldn't want your belongings to get wet.