A smokeless fire pit is helpful if you want a relaxing night with friends and family in the comfort of your backyard.  Read on to know how to light and put out a Breeo fire pit if you’ve just got one or need a refresher on the basics of smokeless fire. 

How Do You Start a Fire In a Breeo Fire Pit? 

Before starting a fire in a Breeo fire pit, you will need:

Fuel

When choosing a fuel for your fire, it’s best to remember that there are three categories of fuel: fire starter (tinder), kindling, and split cordwood (main fuel).  The three categories contribute significantly to your fire’s overall health and performance throughout the burn.  It’s also best to use high-quality and very dry materials when lighting the fire.

If your fire starter is of great quality, it will be less important to have high-quality cordwood and kindling, and the opposites are also true.  For instance, a strong fire starter can compensate for slightly less than ideal kindling.  However, you will achieve the best results if all the three elements are quality materials, dry, and split well. 

Fire Starter

It would help if you also had a good fire starter such as fatwood (resin-soaked pine) pieces or wax-dipped tumbleweed.  You can also opt for shredded newspaper or cardboard.  But, maximum airflow is the goal; crumpling newspaper into a tight ball is not advisable. 

It’s also best to use a natural fire starter to prevent carcinogens and a nasty gas flavor or smell from your fire. 

Kindling

Kindling is critical for bridging the first spark and the roaring flames.  Without good kindling, your fire will likely smolder out with a cloud of smoke.  You can use very dry softwoods split between half an inch and one and a half inches in diameter. 

Dried untreated 2”× 4″s or anything similar will make great kindling.  However, it’s best to split them down into small enough pieces.

Cord Wood

Cordwood should be dried, split wood as small as two inches and not larger than four inches in diameter.  Your cordwood should be thoroughly dry; you can use kiln-dried wood that’s been stored out of the elements to ensure you don’t have any issues with moisture.  However, any other dried wood will also work. 

Starting the Fire

After carefully selecting your fuel, it’s time to get the fire going.  At this stage, it’s best to be on standby and ready for the next step to keep your fire going.  Here’s how to get started:

Build a Log Cabin

Start building with two pieces of cordwood and lay them parallel and perpendicular to the airflow system to create the most airflow beneath your fire. 

You will then stack two pieces of kindling perpendicular to the cordwood and place your fire starter in the center of the four walls.  Continue stacking the kindling until it approaches the top quarter of your fire pit (about five layers). 

If you’re using newspaper as your fire starter, fill the log cabin with shredded paper, and maintain adequate airflow.

Light the Fire Up

You can use a long match or a grill lighter to light the fire starter at the bottom of the log cabin.  However, matches are not advisable because they can be hazardous and quite difficult to use when reaching the bottom of the fire pit. 

Feed the Flames

Once the kindling starts turning black and the fire licks up through the pieces, you can add small pieces of cordwood.  It’s best to avoid adding more than two pieces at a time because this might cause the fire to work harder and smoke. 

You can also opt to add one or two pieces of wood at a time and keep the fire at a relatively consistent temperature and height throughout the burn. 

When you place your cordwood on the fire, your log cabin may break apart.  Continue adding wood to the fire’s perimeter when needed, ensuring the wood is never above the fire pit’s rim.

This process requires the practice of getting to know your fire and when the best time is to add wood. 

Can You Use Lighter Fluid In Breeo? 

It would be best never to use lighter fluid when lighting a Breeo fire pit.  While the flammable liquid gets fires going quickly, the gas-like aroma produces an unpleasant flavor.  Additionally, the residual smell often lingers in your fire pit even after the fire is out.  Therefore, it’s just best to avoid it. 

You can opt for natural wood fire starters like tumbleweeds and wood strips rolled up into small cylinders dipped in flammable wax. 

How to Extinguish a Breeo Fire Pit

Letting it burn out is the best way of putting out your fire.  Letting the fire burn out creates the least amount of ash, which results in an easy clean-up.  If you wish to leave your fire unattended, you can use a spark screen to protect the surrounding area from the possibility of sparks flying. 

Once your ashes cool down, you can clean the fire pit using a shovel designed for Breeo fire pits. 

It’s best to extinguish your Breeo fire pit without water, as using water creates build-up in the airflow system, and the drainage will mess up your patio space.  Also, please don’t use the Breeo lid to snuff your fire out, as it isn’t designed to withstand the high heat and could get damaged. 

How Long Does It Take for a Breeo Fire Pit to Cool Down?

It can take over twenty-four hours for hot ashes in a Breeo fire pit to cool down enough on their own and to no longer be considered a fire threat. 

Therefore, it’s best to extinguish the fire before leaving your Breeo fire pit unattended. 

The above tips will help you enjoy many smokeless fire gatherings with family and friends.