Campfires with family and friends are great fun. To make your next campfire safer and healthier, the Department of Environmental Conservation reminds everyone  to:

• Check the fire danger map first to make sure it’s safe to have a fire where you are.
• Avoid burning on windy days.
• Keep your campfire less than 3 feet high and less than 4 feet wide.
• Keep flammable objects and debris at least 3 feet away from the fire.
• Never burn trash, including paper products, plastic, glass, and metal (like tin and aluminum cans).
• Burn only local firewood.
• Burn only dry, plain wood — no pressure-treated lumber or plywood, and no painted or stained wood.
• Using untreated wood, split tree logs, and branches is recommended for camp fires.
• Using heat-treated/kiln-dried wood can prevent the spread of invasive species.
• Never use fire accelerants such as kerosene, gasoline or lighter fluid.
• Stay out of the smoke. The fire and its warmth can be pleasant for everyone, but inhaling smoke is unhealthy for you and for your pets.
• Keep water or a fire extinguisher nearby. Never leave your fire unattended.
• When you’re finished with your fire, fully extinguish it. Stirring water or dirt into the remains of the fire can help.