Fire pits warm up outdoors

The fire pits are made from various materials, from
copper to concrete.

MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

FORT WORTH, Texas — Pinpoints of light dotting the dark sky. Friends gathered in a circle, sipping on wine and chatting convivially. The kiddies toasting marshmallows.

Creating the ambience of a campfire with a fire pit is one of the hottest trends in backyard recreation.

Jim Jarvis of Weatherford, Texas, owner of an online fire-pit accessories company, says the trend was sparked by the clay chimeneas that started showing up in Mexican import stores a few years back. Next came cast-iron fire pits from China. Then the upscale garden-and-home-accessories companies started selling sleek copper versions. Today, built-in stone pits are the trendiest variation.

Alex Bandon, multimedia editor of This Old House magazine, helped show readers how to build a fire pit from cast-concrete stone for about $500 in the September issue of the magazine. “People are turning their yards into outdoor rooms, and a fire pit is better than a barbecue because it’s generally circular, which makes it very social. You can build a whole party around it,” Bandon said.

Just be careful about safety issues, and be aware of local ordinances. Most cities require a screen to prevent embers from flying out. Capt. Tom Lewis, of the Fort Worth, Texas, Fire Department’s fire prevention bureau, says open fires are illegal within the city (with fines of up to $2,000), but ones with a covered grate are acceptable.

Locate your fire pit away from the house and away from tree limbs. “You’ll fit more people around it that way, anyway,” Bandon said.

For directions for the This Old House do-it-yourself fire pit, go to www.thisoldhouse.com.

FIRE-PIT ACCESSORIES

UFor a really fragrant fire, burn pinion wood, grown in New Mexico and available at www.dancingfire.com for $39.99 a bag.

UWax-coated acorns make fun fire starters, available at gift and home-accessories stores.

UMarshmallow Tree cooks 10 marshmallows at once; $10 at www.wisementrading.com.

•Custom-made spark screens, www.dancingfire.com.