By Ananda Hill
Are you tired of depending on others to get bonfires off the ground? Or perhaps you have been to a few bonfires and would like to host your own. Either way these steps will help you to get started.
Bonfires on Bermudas beaches are permitted by the Government. However the government requests that the fire be contained on a metal surface/pit of some kind. It is illegal to have a bonfire directly on the sand. This will turn our beach sand black and slowly but surely ruin the natural beauty of the pink sands of Bermuda. Having bonfires directly on the beach sand also creates extremely hot and sharp hazards for all who wish to enjoy the beach on the following day. With consideration for all in the community who enjoy our beaches, lets begin.
Check the Weather!
Be sure to check the weather for your planned bonfire date! Weather.bm is a dependable resource for meteorological information. Ensure the wind speed is forecasted to be calm. High winds will carry embers and sand everywhere making the beach bonfire much less enjoyable. If it rains earlier in the day the sand will still be wet and cold as it takes hours to dry. Do a little homework to ensure that once you are on the beach you wont have to worry about the weather.
Ready as Many Fire Stuffs as Possible Beforehand.
An ignition source, tinder or paper, twigs, medium and large logs/cuts of wood, and a bucket should be on your basic bonfire checklist. Two ignition sources are good; if one lighter runs out of butane or spontaneously breaks you’ll be SOL. Take two lighters and thank me later! The other items on the checklist will obviously be used to ensure an even and healthy fire can be built thats easy to light.
Confirm Wind Direction.
Once you arrive to your location, check the direction of the wind. I will go on to assume that your intelligence will be insulted if I instructed how to figure out what direction the wind is blowing. Depending on the surrounding landscape wind direction can be changed from its original direction. Sometimes the landscape is able to shield your bonfire from winds. Northerly breeze will be shielded by the south shore, and southerly breeze will be shielded by the north shore and so on. Seating downwind of your intended bonfire location will surely get smoked out, and catch the occasional annoying flying ember. Tents, and other valuables that you intend to keep from catching fire need to be kept upwind from the bonfire.
Build Your Fire Stuffs to Catch Evenly and Quickly.
Place some large logs on the bottom of your metal pit. This allows air to get underneath the flame, while providing heat for embers once the fire starts to reach its plateau. A liberal amount of tinder or paper goes on top of the logs in the center of your pit. Thick layers of twigs shaped as a TP around your tinder, followed by layers of larger cuts of wood laid in the same TP manner is all you need.
Light it Up!
Light your tinder and watch the fire grow with incredible speed. Add larger cuts of wood as the flames grow. Be sure not to squash or flatten the fire with wood that is too heavy or large. The more the fire can breath the healthier the flame will be. Bright red extremely hot embers will come about in no time. Aside from some management of the fire with common sense, its smooth sailing from here on out.
Manage the Fire SAFELY.
Ensure kids, pets and other vulnerables that may not understand the importance of respecting the fire are supervised. Keep your fire to a manageable size, and don’t leave your fire unattended. When its time to leave, pour water over your contained bonfire until embers and ash are cool to the touch, after hissing has stopped. Discard your bonfire ashes in a garbage can afterwards. Keep bermuda beautiful, and ensure the safety of those who may use the beach after you have finished by discarding glass bottles or any other hazardous materials.
