Campfire rules & safety

Fire safety norms, extinguishing, fines

Before lighting

  • Check fire bans: fire season (usually March–October in forests)
  • Use an existing fire ring — don't make a new one
  • Clear 1.5 m around of leaves and dry grass
  • Prepare water/soil for extinguishing

While burning

  • Never leave the fire unattended, even for a minute
  • Wind >10 m/s — don't burn
  • Don't burn near tree roots, on peat, under branches
  • Only deadfall — never break living wood

Extinguishing

  • Douse with water or cover with soil completely
  • Stir the embers and douse again — ash shouldn't be warm
  • Hover your hand above ash (no touching) — cold?
  • Burying embers is dangerous: smolders for weeks

Fines (Ukraine)

  • Fires in forest outside designated spots — ~1.5–4.5k UAH fine
  • Forest destruction by fire — criminal liability
  • Burning grass/leaves — fine and possible liability for caused fires

The best campfire is no campfire. A stove cooks faster, cleaner and legally almost everywhere. If you do burn — only at designated spots, by the rules, until cold ash.