Outdoors

Q&A: Here’s how to prevent a root fire

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A root fire can be deadly and devastating, especially for unsuspecting cottagers. It can start rather innocently with a routine campfire outside in your firepit.

While you may have thought tossing water on the fire is enough to extinguish it, before you decide to walk away, it’s important to remember that embers may still be burning beneath the layers of ash.

All it takes is for those embers to spark a root below the ground, allowing a fire to travel along with a root system and emerge above ground in a new location. This can also lead to the creation of wildfires.

Cottage Life Editor-in-Chief Michelle Kelly has more information about how to contain your fire, and how you can prevent a root fire.

Where is the best place to put a fire pit?