Yes, you can have a recreational fire. However, there are certain limitations. The fire must be attended at all times and you should have a reasonable means of extinguishing it close at hand, such as a garden hose. Open fires should be at least 25 feet from a house or garage; fires contained in chimneys can be closer, but in no case nearer than ten feet to a structure. Material piled for a fire should not be larger than three feet by three feet and no more than three feet high. The only material you can burn in a recreational fire is clean, dry wood.

Never leave the grill unattended. If your grill is on a deck or porch, keep it away from doors and windows. If the grill were to catch fire, windows and doors are an easy and rapid avenue for fire to spread into the house. Also, be aware of children and animals around the grilling area as they might tip over the grill or touch a hot service causing serious injury.

Always dial 911 for smoke conditions.

While anyone can have a wood burning stove or fireplace, always let your insurance agent know and likewise verify whether your homeowners’ insurance rates will increase. Some insurance companies are becoming more prohibitive with wood burners. You should have your flue and/or chimney inspected annually by a chimney sweep or someone who has expertise with wood burners. If you have a chimney fire, always call the fire department as we can check to make sure that there is no likely spread of fire into walls and other void spaces.

Alert the other members of your household and get out. Your family should develop a pre-determined plan of escape that includes two escape routes and a meeting spot outside and away from the structure. Make sure to crawl or stay very low when smoke is present. Call the fire department from a neighbor's house. Practice home fire drills incorporating all these elements with your children, so that they automatically know what to do.

You should have at least one smoke detector on every level of your home, including the basement and attic. Smoke detectors should be replaced every couple of years to ensure safety. You also should have a smoke detector near the sleeping areas of your home. If you sleep with your bedroom doors closed you should have a smoke detector in every bedroom. A single carbon monoxide detector in your home is sufficient. The carbon monoxide detector should be located near where you sleep.

It is illegal to set off fireworks in Ohio unless you are a licensed exhibitor. Novelty items like smoke bombs and sparklers are permitted for the average citizen.

The burning of brush or leaves is not permitted in the city limits, or within one mile of the corporation according to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

Chimneys should be inspected and/or cleaned before the start of the heating season to prevent chimney fires caused by an excess accumulation of creosote, a black tarry substance that results from the burning of the sap or resin found in (primarily green) wood. Likewise, chimneys should be inspected after a chimney fire. The main concern after a chimney fire is that the very high temperatures created can cause cracks in mortar joints or in flue liners.