Can You Leave Fire Pit Burning Overnight?

Whether fire pit is the fire bowl, fire pit kit, or fire tables; fire pits are great for cooling off late in the evening.

However, many people often wonder if it’s safe to leave them burning overnight?

Depending on how high your fire pit burns and what type of firewood you’re burning, there are a couple of things that could happen.

Here is more on leaving fire pit burning overnight and what to think about.

Best Fire Pit Cover (EDITOR’S CHOICE)

Fire Pit Burnout/Burning Out

One thing that can happen when leaving your fire pit unattended overnight is that it will burn out much like an unattended campfire would.

This might sound ideal since all you would need to do is simply put more wood in it come morning time so you can restart the fire again but there are some disadvantages to doing this.

Firstly, much like an unattended fire, fire pit burnout can cause a fire hazard.

When firewood burns, the fire releases smoke and both the smoke and heat are what’s needed to keep the fire burning.

If no more heat or smoke is being given off from your fire pit, it will eventually go out altogether. This leaves nothing to continue burning which eliminates all of the warmth that your fire provided.

Furthermore, not only would you have to rebuild your fire every time you restart it but you’d also have to purchase new firewood if you want it to burn efficiently once again.

can you leave a fire pit burning overnight

Fire Pit Burning Through

Another thing that could happen when leaving your fire pit unattended overnight is that it may catch on fire due to embers that remained in the fire pit catching fire under the right conditions.

When firewood burns it gives off embers that are still burning when left behind, some of these embers could go on to start a fire if they are still hot enough once your fire has gone out.

If you have embers that are still on fire you’ll need to be extra cautious when restarting your fire pit because you never know how many will be smoldering and there is always a chance for another fire to break out while trying to restart them.

So if you want to keep the fire pit burning overnight, make sure there is no wood or log or anything else flammable anywhere near it so that nothing can catch fire before morning comes.

can you leave a fire pit burning overnight

The Best Solution

Leaving a fire pit burning overnight is never the best option because fire pit burnout and fire risk are both things that you’ll have to deal with when doing so.

If comfort is your goal, it’s much better to keep the fire pit burning during daylight hours no matter how cold it may get.

At least then you’re there if anything goes wrong and can be sure that fire won’t go out before morning.

Of course, fire pits aren’t meant for unattended use at any time of day or night but if you want one mainly for nighttime purposes, make sure its safety features like fire screens are in place at all times.

Whether fire pit is the fire bowl, fire pit kit, or fire tables; fire pits are great for cooling off late in the evening.

However, many people often wonder if it’s safe to leave them burning overnight? Depending on how high your fire pit burns and what type of firewood you’re burning, there are a couple of things that could happen.

One thing that can happen when leaving your fire pit unattended overnight is that it will burn out much like an unattended campfire would.

This might sound ideal since all you would need to do is simply put more wood in it come morning time so you can restart the fire again but there are some disadvantages to doing this.

Firstly, much like an unattended fire, fire pit burnout can cause a fire hazard.

When firewood burns, the fire releases smoke and both the smoke and heat are what’s needed to keep the fire burning. If no more heat or smoke is being given off from your fire pit, it will eventually go out altogether.

This leaves nothing to continue burning which eliminates all of the warmth that your fire provided. Furthermore, not only would you have to rebuild your fire every time you restart it but you’d also have to purchase new firewood if you want it to burn efficiently once again.

Another thing that could happen when leaving your fire pit unattended overnight is that it may catch on fire due to embers that remained in the fire pit catching fire under the right conditions.

Final Thoughts

If a fire pit is your main source of heat you shouldn’t use them unattended at any time of day or night.

However, if the fire pit is mainly for decoration and/or cool-off purposes then you should always make sure that fire screens are in place before leaving the fire pit unattended.

If a fire screen is not an option (and it often isn’t) be sure to keep the fire pit low and burning a small amount of firewood at a time so that the fire goes out long before morning comes.

This way you get all benefits from the firepit without having to deal with unexpected consequences or jeopardizing your safety by doing so.

Read More About Fire Pits:

  1. Setting Up Fire Pit On Grass
  2. Using Fire Pit Rug For Fire Pit