“Focus on Fire and Food…” advises a recent lifestyle magazine describing the perfect design for an outdoor room.

Flames illuminate primitive dancing figures in The Fire Dome from Good Directions.

“Safety is certainly an issue with hearth product customers,” said Cathy Mazzola, retail manager, Fireplace and Verandah, Orlando and Longwood, Fla. “All the units we sell from O.W. Lee’s tabletop pits to Heat N Glo’s portable fireplaces have accessories for safety.”

The hearth industry is rich with products that provide the convenience and warming comfort of an outdoor fire while including features and accessories for the safety of the homeowner, their property and possibly that of the neighbors.

Today, the safety issue of outdoor fire features may involve regulations imposed by the locale in which one resides. Such is the case with Sedalia, Colo.-based Warming Trends, which produces a gas fire ring insert for outdoor fire pits. Its gas unit has been approved for outdoor fireplaces and pits by municipalities that have placed bans on some fire pits.

Gas Fire Ring from Warming Trends easily installs in outdoor fire pits.

Safety in some areas also includes air quality and the impact on residents. “New laws are going into effect soon for our region that will prohibit the installation of wood-burning fireplaces inside or outside within new construction,” said Bonnie Richins, general manager, Anaheim Patio and Fireside. “Due to this, gas fire rings sell great and they are available in a number of different sizes.”

Unique Arts’ award-winning 3-in-One Chiminea.

For regions in which there are no restrictions on wood-burning fireplaces, many options that address safety are available. Gaining popularity is a fireplace design that has been around for hundreds of years yet is now available in today’s durable materials, the chiminea. By design, a chiminea includes a chimney to efficiently fuel the fire with fresh air and direct smoke away from the users.

“The weight of the unit eliminates any tipping that can occur with other fire options,” said Blair Reuther, owner, The Blue Rooster Company, an Internet retailer of cast aluminum and iron chimineas. “Our customers look to the enclosed design of the chiminea for a safe outdoor fire experience. It still offers the warmth and ambiance of a fireplace with the added feature of portability.”

Fire is fed through the LoFerno fire tower.

Several new hearth introductions this season address safety for outdoor fire enthusiasts.

“In designing the LoFerno, safety was a consideration with the design of the tower,” said Jeff Lohaus, owner/designer/metal sculptor of the Minneapolis-based business. “Burning logs cannot fall out and the tower acts as a spark arrestor.”

The unique design of the LoFerno unit provides for logs to simply drop from the top opening to feed the fire. At 100 pounds, the unit avoids being easily blown over.

An ability to contain a fire as well as the shifting of wood was a factor in the multi-function design of the award-winning 3-In-One Chiminea from Unique Arts of Madison, Wisc. Available primarily at garden centers and from catalogs, the fireplaces are made of 100% recycled copper with spark-arresting screens that add safety to the standard fire pit design.

Modular fireplace by DBG creates a fire focal point.

“Many fireplace options are built for sales more than actual use and appreciation,” said Jason Long, metal sculptor/designer. “We wanted our products to be used safely and for that reason attention was paid to the weight of the product, the openings in the design and the depth of the pit.”

Blue Rooster chimineas are sold online.

“Although fire and safety do not always go hand-in-hand, it must be a constant consideration when creating and utilizing any hearth products,” Long said.

Even with its inherent risk factors, fire continues to be a focal point for outdoor gatherings. As a must-have in the creation and enjoyment of outdoor rooms, today’s fire features are built with a focus not only on providing a much-loved warming experience, but a safe one as well.