Can I light a fire pit under my gazebo?

Can I light a fire pit under my gazebo? Some people say fire pits are not safe to use under a gazebo… and they’re mostly right. If you’re burning wood or charcoal, it’s very dangerous to light a fire pit in any kind of enclosed area thanks to the risk of breathing in carbon monoxide. And the smoke can make a terrible mess. The smallest sparks can cause fires on a hot, dry day, going on to damage your garden or even cause havoc further afield.

Let’s explore what’s what.

A lack of proper ventilation is the biggest problem with lighting fires under any kind of cover or canopy. But it really depends on the style of the roof and walls, and how fire-safe it is. A lean-to against your house or a wall is no good. A roofed structure is not a good idea. There’s less of a ventilation problem with wooden and metal gazebos, being open sided, often with open rooves, but you still need to take great care.

A plastic gazebo isn’t at all safe. Never set a fire of any sort under one of those cheap camping gazebos that can flap around or come loose in the wind. And never leave children unsupervised near any kind of fire, including your fire pit.

Never site the gazebo in which the fire pit will go under low trees or when tree branches overhang. The smoke can cause damage to the trees and the leaves can limit your ventilation. The same goes for shrubs, walls and other obstructions. You need as much ventilation as possible all the way round, whatever the weather or circumstances.

It’s also wise to keep the structure as far from your house as you can, just in case. And it makes sense to always keep a suitable fire extinguisher handy, something suited to the fuel you’re using. Plus a large fire blanket and – as long as it isn’t an electric fire pit – a bucket water, great for extinguishing fires. Sand also works well to stop fire from spreading, shutting off the oxygen it needs to burn.

If you have a high, roofed wood or metal gazebo, which isn’t surrounded by plants and catches a good draught even when wind levels are low, you might be OK. Make sure your fire pit is on a level, steady surface so it can’t fall over.

It’s far better to use a gas fired or electric fire pit in a gazebo, rather than burning wood, coal or charcoal. You can use a wood burning fire pit in a gazebo as long a you have a proper fire screen to contain the ash and embers, preventing them from escaping. And as long as you don’t mind the rafters of the structure getting discoloured by smoke, which can sometimes happen.

If your gazebo has integral curtains, either remove them or tie them firmly back so there’s no risk of them either catching light or preventing ventilation. If yours has a low solid or open ceiling, or a smart canopy like the one pictured above, it might not be safe. You need enough height for the smoke and the heat to safely disperse without causing damage or making people ill. The gazebo style shown below is a good bet because it has an open slatted roof through which smoke and fumes easily escape, while offering privacy.

Then there’s the gazebo floor. If it’s wooden you’ll need to protect the wood. If it’s stone, you’re fine. If it’s plastic or composite, you’re probably best off putting the fire pit somewhere else.

Can I light my fire pit under a gazebo? Maybe, maybe not. While plenty of people use fire pits inside their gazebos safely, it’s something you should never get over-confident about. Safety has to come first every time, everyone needs to be looked after, and someone has to stay responsible. Be safe and you should be able to enjoy warm, dry fun under your gazebo, loving the magic of the flickering flames.