For David Gilbert, a fire pit offers much more than just a way to stay warm.
It’s a place to strengthen friendships and bridge differences for any group, from two to 50 people. It’s also an affordable way to be social without paying for childcare or an expensive restaurant tab.
“A fire pit is something that connects almost any homosapien to something very primordial,” the Englewood resident said. “For like 99% of our existence as a species, all we did at night was sit around a fire and talk.”
Gilbert says he’s seen people forge new connections and fall in love at his backyard fire pit parties. His two sons, ages 7 and 4, have grown up around the fire. He hopes that when they’re older, his home and its fire pit can be a source of fun for them and their friends during sleepovers.
“It makes it easy to feel included and hard to feel separated,” he said. “It removes the awkward from awkward silences.”
While the fire itself does much of the work of making a gathering successful, there’s some other essential know-how to keep in mind, Gilbert said.
One of the most important things is to know about any local fire regulations. That will help avoid an uncomfortable visit from your local fire department or — even worse — becoming that neighbor whose backyard fire grew into an out-of-control blaze.
A reckless fire pit can also lead to more serious consequences. In Colorado, even a person who unintentionally causes a fire can be charged with arson.
Backyard fire rules
Fire pit rules can vary widely by city in metro Denver.
In Gilbert’s part of Englewood, the city allows wood-burning fire pits as long as they’re 25 feet from any flammable structure and as long as there are no fire restrictions in place. That’s also the case in Arvada, Lakewood and Golden.
In Lakewood and Golden, fires also must not be larger than 3 feet wide and 2 feet high. In Arvada, regulations for portable outdoor fireplaces, like a chiminea, are slightly less strict than for an outdoor fire pit. They can be located within 15 feet of structures and combustible materials.
In Denver, residents can only use gas-powered fire pits. The city prohibits outdoor wood-burning fire pits because of regulations that stem from Denver’s “brown cloud” air quality concerns, according to the city’s website.
Some cities also limit fire pit usage when conditions are extremely dry or windy. In Golden, when Stage 1 fire restrictions are in place, residents can burn only fires with a fixed grate covering them. The fire must also be 30 feet away from any undeveloped area and 25 feet from any structure.
“The reason why this is so important is we don’t want those embers coming out of that fire pit or fireplace and setting something on fire,” Golden Fire Marshal Brett Ballentine said.
If there is a Stage 2 fire ban, only gas-burning fires are allowed in Golden, he said.
Ballentine said that even when authorities have not imposed restrictions, it’s always important to make sure someone is monitoring the fire at all times.
“Most of the fires I’ve seen that have run away from folks, it’s because they left a fire unattended,” Ballentine said.
Ballentine asks residents to always use their best judgment when starting a recreational fire. Wind and humidity conditions are key indicators of dangerous fire conditions.
Any day with humidity below 30%, for instance, is considered dry.
It’s also essential to keep a functioning water hose, a bucket of sand or another type of fire extinguisher nearby in case of escaped embers. And when the party is over, hosts must make sure the fire is totally out.
Beyond safety: making it fun
As for the party aspect of hosting a fire pit gathering, Gilbert says that pairing the event with a potluck and entertainment of some kind, like an open mic, adds to the fun.
“If there’s no food, people start to trickle away to go to Taco Bell or something,” he said.
Another tip from Gilbert: If you’re burning a wood fire, it’s a good idea to start burning about 30 minutes in advance of guests arriving so the fire isn’t as smoky.
In need of firewood? Gilbert said he’s always able to find cheap and free firewood from people who have recently felled trees and have put up signs near their homes or posted about ]the free wood on online forums like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.
Gilbert says there’s also something nice about having small kindling nearby so that everyone has a chance to toss a piece in and watch as it burns.
“I have people say, ‘This is so much better than going out to bars. It’s cheap and it’s quiet,’ ” Gilbert said of fire pit gatherings. “And I think it facilitates conversation in a way that almost no other setting is capable of producing.”