By Lisa Albert for Sunset Magazine
I fall in love easily—with gardens and plants, that is. When touring a garden, admiration and joy grows with each step I take and with each plant I discover. Unfortunately, that bliss fades abruptly when I stumble upon the latest must-have garden addition: the wood-burning fire feature.
The haze of second-hand smoke obscures the view.
I have asthma, along with 22.9 million other Americans. It is the leading chronic childhood illness in the U.S. Although asthma can be fatal, thankfully deaths are infrequent. But it is an expensive disease, costing the U.S. economy around $19.7 billion each year (American Lung Association).
Smoke is a powerful trigger; avoidance of it shapes my life. I’ve given up activities that brought me joy, including camping with my family, for what is camping without a campfire? I’ve accepted these limitations but I’m struggling with those imposed by smoke from recreational fires.
In the last four years, I’ve had to give up time in my garden and shut my windows to cool night breezes due to wood smoke in the neighborhood. I can’t see the fire burning in someone’s backyard whether it’s next door, down the street, or two blocks over. I have no warning that my next breath will include smoke’s deadly particles, and then it’s too late to prevent an attack. Four weeks ago, a neighbor’s smoky fire triggered an attack so severe I thought I’d need hospitalization. It took me four miserable days to recover.
Most people aren’t aware of wood smoke’s impact on air quality, its effect on health and wellbeing, or that these inefficient wood-burning features are a growing source of pollution throughout the U.S. “Each fire emits close to one pound of smoke pollution, with 90% being in the deadly smaller than one micron range.” (Clean Air Revival). Municipalities are banning these polluting features. In many areas, when a fire or its smoke endangers another’s health or property, it is deemed “hostile” and local authorities will extinguish the fire (enforcement agencies vary by region). That certainly would put a damper on an evening of fun around a fire with family and friends.
The good news is that there are cleaner-burning alternatives, including natural gas, propane, denatured alcohol, and Java-Log. Even better, the first three options open up a world of design possibilities for our gardens. Instead of the ubiquitous metal bowl with last night’s charred remains, imagine an artful piece crafted of metal and stone. By day, it is a stunning, creative garden feature. When lit at night, it surprises, pleases, and warms guests without masking intoxicating garden fragrances, such as star jasmine, gardenia, and angel’s trumpet.
Fortunately, we can have our fire and clean air, too.
Because propane-fueled flames pose no spark danger, Tom and
Barb Eckman of Tualatin, Oregon could safely convert an
existing corner flower box on their cedar deck into this fabulous
fireplace. Tom designed and built it using a propane ring and log kit from
a local sporting and outdoor goods store, slate tile, and black Mexican
pebbles. Photo by Gordon Hickey.
