How To Light a Chimenea or Firepit

• Sand
• Lava rocks
• Kindling
• Firewood

Before you light a clay chimenea for the first time, you’ll need to cure it. It’s a simple process – just follow these guidelines:

• Make sure you never light a fire directly on the base of the chimenea.
• Put around 5cm of sand or lava rocks in the bottom, then add a small amount of kindling and scrunched up newspaper on top.
• Light it, and allow a flame to build. Once it’s burning well, add a small log and allow it to burn out.
• Once the chimenea has cooled, you’ll need to repeat this process at least a couple more times.

Once you’ve cured your clay chimenea, lighting it is exactly the same process as it is for a metal one or a firepit:

Step 1: Add kindling

Put lightly scrunched up newspaper on the sand inside a clay chimenea, or the log grate of a metal one or firepit. Place kindling or finely split dry firewood on top of the newspaper.

Step 2: Light the fire

Use long safety matches or a long-nosed lighter to light the newspaper and kindling.

Step 3: Add more wood to keep the fire burning

Once the fire has caught sufficiently, add another log. Just 1 or 2 are enough to keep the fire going and generate a decent amount of heat.

Gas Safe Register offers the following barbecue safety tips:

• Never use a barbecue inside or within an enclosed environment such as a tent, caravan or cabin – your barbecue can still give off fumes even after cooking.
• Always ensure you can see your lit barbecue and don’t leave it unattended.
• Use your barbecue in accordance with the operating instructions.
• Be aware of the signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning – headaches, nausea, breathlessness, dizziness, collapse and loss of consciousness. You can use our carbon monoxide detectors to help aid with this.
• For more information about gas safety visit GasSafeRegister.co.uk.