Courter: Things I wish my kids would ask me

Editor's note: Barry Courter has a 25-year-old son who is a college graduate and a 20-year-old daughter who is a sophomore in college.

Q: Dad, we got an outdoor fire pit and have a bunch of wood sitting around. Can we burn it?

A: Glad you asked. It's not as simple as it seems. First, don't burn treated lumber like old fences or posts. The chemicals are bad for you. Pine is full of sap and, while creosote build up in an outdoor pit isn't a big issue, it will pop and possibly send hot coals out into the yard or onto you. You also need to be aware that the wind can carry burning embers onto your roof or into the trees, so use a screen, don't burn on really windy or really dry days and try not to pile leaves or pine needles onto the fire.

-- Barry Courter

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