Can You Put a Fire Pit on Grass

Short answer: Not on the lawn itself. EcoSmart, who make the bioethanol fire pits we sell, say never to place their fire pits over grass, artificial turf, carpet, rock or any uneven surface. Stand yours on a level surface that cannot burn, such as paving or concrete, with its adjustable feet in place. Victoria's CFA asks the same of any fire pit, wood included: a flat, stable surface that won't catch fire. On a declared Total Fire Ban day, no surface changes the answer: the CFA bans all fires lit for warmth or personal comfort, including fire pits, on Total Fire Ban Days.

Keep those two risks separate. One is a placement problem with a simple fix: keep the fire pit off the lawn. The other is a legal problem with no fix at all. Our EcoSmart Fire range covers the fire pits this guidance applies to.

Why the lawn is the wrong surface and what to use instead

EcoSmart Fire's own clearance guidance rules grass out for its fire pits: "Do not place the appliance over grass, artificial turf, carpet, rock, or any uneven surface." Fire pits such as the Pod 30 and Mix 600 stand on height-adjustable feet, which EcoSmart say must stay on because they provide airflow to the underside. Set them to leave at least 12.5 mm of air space between the ground and the underside of the sidewalls, with the fire pit perfectly level and stable. A wood fire pit on a lawn brings a second risk: embers. The CFA's fire pit safety advice warns that sparks and embers can set nearby vegetation alight, especially when it is very dry; it asks for the area 3 metres around and above a fire pit to be clear of anything that can burn. The fix is simple: move the fire pit off the lawn. The CFA lists gravel, bare earth or paving as surfaces that won't burn; EcoSmart rule out rock and any uneven surface for theirs, so a bioethanol fire pit belongs on paving or concrete. This is safety advice from the maker and the CFA, not lawn care.

The Total Fire Ban risk is a different order of problem

A Total Fire Ban is not about where the fire pit stands; it is about the fire itself. Victoria's CFA states plainly that all fires for warmth or personal comfort, including fire pits, braziers and chimineas, are banned during Total Fire Ban Days, with a separate ban covering burning off grass, scrub, stubble or rubbish. ABC News reported CFA chief officer Trevor Owen putting it just as plainly: you cannot have a fire pit in your yard during a total fire ban period. No choice of surface and no change of fuel gets around that; the fire simply cannot be lit that day.

A bioethanol fire pit produces no embers and no rising ash, the two hazards a fire ban chiefly exists to prevent, which is why plenty of owners assume it sits outside the rule altogether. It does not. CFA's wording for personal-comfort fires carves out no exception by fuel type; no other state or territory exempts bioethanol either. A bioethanol fire pit stays off on a declared ban day, like any other.

The honest verdict

The lawn question has a simple answer: the fire pit goes on paving or concrete, never on the grass. A total fire ban has no answer at all; the fire stays unlit that day. Before every session, check the fire danger rating and whether a total fire ban has been declared for your area, not just on the days that look windy.

Every EcoSmart fire pit ships free Australia-wide, backed by our price-beat promise and owner after-care. Get a quote and Hayden will talk through the right spot and surface for it before you order, on 1300 515 620.

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Hayden Pearson

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About the author:
“I have a real passion for helping transform outdoor spaces so people can relax, connect and entertain with confidence and pride. With My Acre, I love guiding homeowners to create beautiful and functional outdoor living areas."