While people often search for a fireplace inside their home or apartment, the crackle of flames stirring some warm and cozy memories of childhood and time spent with friends and families, I find that it’s the outdoor patio fireplaces that trigger some ancient, primal memory for me. My own brother loves roasting and grilling turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas over an outdoor fireplace, and I think it might trigger that same memory for him, linking us to our earliest ancestors, two hundred to four hundred thousand years ago, when cooking over an open fire was not a luxury but a necessary skill to learn for survival.
To ensure our continued survival, we want to make absolutely certain that our outdoor fireplace is safe and secure. There’s a few things you want to keep in mind to accomplish that goal:
First, make sure the fireplace is in a level area, that it’s some distance from the house or any other buildings in the backyard; the fireplace should be placed, too, on a concrete surface, or any surface, really, that’s fireproof. Second, make certain the cooking area is thoroughly clean. If there’s debris or grease from previous outdoor cooking excursions, then this can present itself as a possible hazard. If you have children, make sure they understand that they are to stay away from the fireplace when it’s in use. Children can often do unexpected things, which are not in your or their best interest. Better to have someone watch over them while you cook, so you can give the job all the attention it deserves.
Finally, once you start a fire, don’t leave it alone or unwatched. A fire is a lot like children, in that it can do unexpected things. If a wind comes up, or any number of events, the fire can spread extremely quickly. Keeping a fire extinguisher nearby is always a good idea.