Clear a one-metre circle of vegetation around your fire
Alberta’s campfire safety guide tells campers to choose level, wind-sheltered ground and clear a one-metre circle around the fire of dry grass,...
Alberta’s campfire safety guide tells campers to choose level, wind-sheltered ground and clear a one-metre circle around the fire of dry grass, leaves, dead wood and other flammable material. In backcountry settings without an existing pit, dig down to mineral soil so the fire is sitting on bare earth, not on roots or duff. Roots and duff can carry fire underground, so a fire that looks out can travel laterally beneath the surface and pop up metres away hours later. Keep the fire pit a generous distance from tents, cooking gear and overhanging branches — embers carry, and a sleeping bag is a fast-burning fuel. Do not build a fire under low canopy or against a stump or log. Reuse an existing fire site when one is available, rather than scarring a new patch of ground. Always have a shovel, an axe or hatchet, and at least a few litres of water within arm’s reach before you light. Wind that picks up after dark is a common reason camp fires get away from people; if the breeze comes up, put it out.
Roots and duff can carry fire underground for metres before re-emerging — which is why backcountry fires need to sit directly on mineral soil, not on the forest floor.
Source: Alberta — Campfire Safety
Last reviewed 2026-05-02.
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