If you’re heading out to the great outdoors for this long holiday weekend, keep in mind these tips when building a campfire:

• Avoid building a campfire in hazardous or dry conditions.
• Listen to the campground rules and check with your local forest ranger about approved areas for campfires or needed fire permits.
• Be aware of low hanging branches and build the campfire at least 15 feet away from tent walls, shrubs, trees or other flammable objects.
• Never use flammable liquids to start a campfire.
• Start with dry twigs and small sticks when building a fire and add larger sticks as the fire builds up. Add the largest pieces of wood last, with them pointing toward the center of the fire.
• Use campground fire pit if available.
• Always keep a bucket of water and shovel nearby for safety.
• Create a Child Free Zone around the pit.
• Always supervise children when they are near the campfire.
• Never leave a fire unattended
• Always put out your campfire completely.