Building and Putting Out a Campfire Safely
A campfire can be the best part of an evening outdoors, but escaped fires cause serious damage every year. A safe fire starts with checking whether fires are allowed at all, and ends only when the ashes are cold to the touch.
Before lighting
Check current fire restrictions with the land manager; they change with weather and season. Use an existing fire ring where available, clear flammable material around it and keep the fire well away from tents, overhanging branches and gear.
Keep water and a shovel or pot nearby before you strike a match.
Keeping it small
Burn small pieces of dead and downed wood collected from the ground, or bring wood from a local source to avoid moving pests. Do not cut live trees. A small fire is easier to control and burns down to ash more completely.
Never leave a fire unattended, even for a few minutes, and watch for wind that can carry embers.
Putting it out completely
Drown the fire with water, stir the ashes and embers with a stick or shovel, and drown it again. Repeat until everything is cool. Hold the back of your hand close to the ashes; if you feel heat, it is not out.
Burying a fire with soil can leave it smoldering underground, so use water whenever possible.