FIRE Safety procedures:
Fires provide warmth, heat liquids, cook food, and offer children opportunities to develop new skills and build self-confidence. Children learn how to gather fuel and take part in fire-building. The fire is lit within a designated fire circle, and its boundaries are only crossed to tend the fire or access pots.
Safe fire position: It’s important that when the child goes close to the fire to either light it or to cook something over it, they need to be positioned in the safe fire position. This is where one knee is on the ground and one foot on the ground with the knee bent at a 90-degree angle. The lighting and use of fire follow specific rules set by the Forest School leader. All children and adults must follow these rules; failure to do so results in losing fire privileges.
The fire area needs to be surrounded with seated logs that are 1.5metres away from the fire pit. There will also be exit paths at each corner. The children should only use one path to enter and one path to exit. If they want to move around the fire circle, they will need to step over the seating logs and walk around the outside, not the inside of the circle. The larger fire circle serves as a space for sitting and group activities. Access to the outer fire circle is only by walking around its edge, never walking inside it.
Fire set up: When choosing an area to place the fire pit, make sure there are no low branches above the area. If putting a tarp over the fire area, make sure it is not too low, make sure it is not a highly flammable material, and make sure it is secured very tightly
Fire lighting activities occur only inside the fire circle.
Fuel should be carefully added to the fire; sticks are never held in or removed from the fire.
Walk cautiously around the perimeter of the wider fire circle.
Fuel should be prepared at a safe distance from the fire.
Fire gloves must be worn at all times when cooking over the fire.
The Kelly kettle and rocket stove can only be used under the close supervision of the Forest School leader.
Young children must always be closely supervised in the fire circle area.
A bucket of water is kept nearby to handle minor burns or scalds.
The fire is extinguished carefully under the Forest School leader’s supervision at the end of each session.
Fire blanket, burn safety first aid kit, 2 buckets of water.
Only the FS leader is allowed to light the fire unless children are assisted by the forest school leader.
Sticks and wood should only be placed on the fire, not thrown.
No plastic on the fire and no flammable liquid
We aim to keep all children safe when using fire.