That fire back in the day at my Airbnb was a real wake-up call, let me tell you. I was scrolling through Facebook one morning and saw a photo of my property – in flames! Firefighters and first responders were on the scene. Even worse, the fire threatened my neighbor’s house, a beloved pastor’s home. By the time I got there, the fire was out, and no structures had burned down, thank goodness.
Months later, I got a letter from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources fining me $10,000 to cover the cost of fighting the fire. This was early in my days as an Airbnb superhost, with over 500 bookings and tons of 5-star reviews under my belt since 2016. Back then, I had no idea about this hidden danger lurking on my property. I bet a lot of other new hosts don’t know about it either.
The culprit? That cheap, unsafe fire pit I had set up in the wrong spot on the property. I believed my guests when they said they’d been careful to put it out. But it was a perfect storm – the wrong fire pit in the wrong place. When I say “fire pit,” I really mean a basic fire ring, just a thin sheet of metal formed into a circle. No bottom, no way to control those pesky embers. Not a good choice, especially in a ponderosa pine forest like where my Airbnb is located.
Choose a safe fire pit
If you have an Airbnb with a fire pit, listen up. These things have become super common at rental properties lately, but that simple fire ring is not the way to go. It doesn’t have a bottom, so the fire can make direct contact with the ground. And some fancy decorative ones even have cutouts on the sides that don’t contain the flames properly.
The lack of a barrier between the fire and the ground was the big problem for me. The fire didn’t start until a few days after my guests left – a tiny spark must have smoldered and spread through the deep pine needles underground for days.
I replaced my sketchy fire ring with a proper bowl-style fire pit that sits on a stand to keep it off the ground. And I made sure to put it on a non-flammable pad, like stone, brick, or metal. I also added a spark screen – a cover with a mesh screen to prevent embers from flying out.
Place your fire pit in a safe location
Location, location, location! You’ll want your fire pit at least 20-25 feet away from any buildings or structures. And stay far away from areas with lots of pine needles on the ground. Pick a spot that’s not too windy, with a natural windbreak. Those built-in, permanent fire pits can be safe, but watch out for placing them near trees, buildings, or power lines.
Reading through the Airbnb host forums, I’m definitely not the only one who’s had a fire from a fire pit. Hosts love that guests enjoy them, but there’s a lot of trepidation too – liability, user error, lack of supervision, who provides the firewood, and the tendency for fire pits to lead to wild parties. One smart host suggested waiting until you’ve really got the hosting thing down before adding a fire pit. Whether it’s for your own home or your Airbnb, make sure you’ve got a safe fire pit in a safe spot. Don’t let your frugality turn into a $10,000 mistake like mine!
