<KBQ related sad face>

[BlackrazorNZ]

I desperately want a KBQ.

I'm lucky in that I can afford a KBQ.

But I don't have anywhere on my tiny little property that isn't within a few feet of something flammable.

Is surrounding it for a foot or two either side with flame-retardant matting on my wooden deck even viable?

Failing that, I wonder if the flavour would be worth the potential fire-related house and contents insurance claim?

<pic blatantly stolen from the web>

[Danjohnston949]

@BlackrazorN2, I Can't Tell For Sure, It Appears You May Have Enough Room From The Edge Of Your Patio To The Fence To Install A Paving Stone Fireproof Pad For The KBQ❓ I'd Check With The Manufacturer For A Spark Arrestor Suggestion❓❗️❓ That's My $.02 Worth Of Advice From One Insomniac To Another❗️
From A Backyard Cremator In Fargo ND, Dan

[lostclusters]

From your post I saw that the picture you posted was not of your patio. On a wood deck I believe it should be possible to set patio brick as a foundation coming out from the KBQ about a 2 - 3 feet. Around the edge of that foundation take another of those bricks and set it on it's edge instead of flat. That way you create a sort of coal pan that should catch what falls out of the fire box and bounces off of the cook box. When not in use the bricks could be picked up and stored. Since the KBQ is not a set and forget cooker and it must be attended every 20 - 30 minutes, there is a minimum of over site on the pans function. If this were my situation and there was room for the pan, I'd do it.

[SMOG MAN]

I agree, if you have "some" room, a way to manage the occasional ember and stay close and learn the machine and your choice of woods I would-did do it.

[EdF]

I agree with lostclusters

[Jerod Broussard]

You have to tend to it anyway. Sit there and watch it with a water hose.

[EdF]

BTW, I believe Histrix added some stainless mesh over the firebox vents to reduce embers coming out. A pic should be on the KBQ ~ has landed thread. That would be good insurance - most of the embers that come out do so from those vents rather than the top.

[RonB]

I put ceramic floor tile under my kettle. It looks great, and is fireproof. However, if you let 3 or 4 hot coals sit in one place, it will crack the tile. I bought one tile to test before buying enough to put under the kettle. One hot coal did no damage, but 4 piled together broke the tile when it got hot enough.

You could figure some way to hang a welding blanket or two around the KBQ to contain sparks. The idea of using ss mesh sounds good too.

[PBCDad]

CaptainMike

[EdF]

KBQ May as well bring Bill into the discussion too!

[CaptainMike]

I remember seeing BlackrazorNZ cooking area and it seems cramped for a more or less live fire piece of equipment. But I know very little about KBQ's or how much of a hazard they present. I will say this, if you think it's sketchy then it probably is. I don't have enough info to offer sufficient mitigations.

[CaptainMike]

Hahaha, I can still turn on the "Chief-speak"!

[Timbo54]

The KBQ in the picture is overloaded in my opinion. I have never had flames that high with mine. The KBQ comes with a lid to put over the fire box that I use. Coals don't normally fall out of the 2 lower vents on the side. The only time that I have had a coal or two fall out of the side vents is when I'm digging around the coal bed with the included tool breaking up the coals. Some wood ( Almond) will spark a bit, but will stay contained with the lid on.

[EdF]

I've certainly had embers come out the sides.

[hogdog6]

Ditto on embers falling out I always have a few fall out when fluffing the coal bead.

[JakeT]

This is the very reason fire extinguishers were invented! To allow KBQ use even for people in small flammable environments!...wait that can't be right...but it stands to reason..

EdF I regularly have embers come out the sides. I try to poke it around pretty aggressively and regularly to maintain a nice big coal bed. That being said I think you could at least put a fire resistant tarp under it while being used. Much less permanent than bricks or tiles. Plus like Jerod Broussard said, you're going to be there tending it far more often than not. I'd say do it.

[Histrix]

Since a KBQ requires frequent attention I wouldn't be too concerned about it being on a wooden deck or within a few feet of a house or fence.

I'd spray down the wooden deck/house/fence beforehand and keep it wet with the occasional spraying during a cook. The lid will keep most sparks from flying away. For the sides of the firebox I made some simple "spark screens" from some stainless steel mesh:



They work fine for keeping sparks from flying away on windy days.

[hogdog6]

https://www.amazon.com/ASC-Stainless-Steel-Cloth-Screen/dp/B01C37JG34

I loved what Histrix did and followed his lead.

[TCHoya]

Resurrecting an old thread. What's the best way to bend and cut the mesh? I'm not the handiest person in the world?

[CALNZ]

TCHoya I don’t have a handy bone in my body and was able to make this. I took it a bit further and folded the top and bottom over so that no embers could fall out the bottom. I made it longer than the firebox horizontally to stop embers falling from ends.
I bought a cheap pear of wirecutters and cut the mesh to size based on a rough measurement of what would be needed, and literally hand folded (and used my foot) to start the crimp, and then a hammer to continue the fold to the right angle.

[Rfuilrez]

https://youtu.be/zia-kg2Tyds

This guy has his KBQ right under some wooden stairs and doesn’t seem to have burned them down yet.

[CALNZ]

TCHoya for what it’s worth here’s a pic of my firebox mesh. You can see I added folds at the top and the bottom and is longer than the firebox plus crimped on one side so it protects the ends as well. It just slides on and off the firebox.

In the picture you can see one large dead ember stuck at the right end of it, several large ones on the left end and lots of smaller ones along the bottom. These would have all blown around the yard without it.

It makes me feel a lot more comfortable having these on- especially going off to do something in between logs - It’s often windy here, and being in the city I’m arguably within ember blowing distance the house.

Not as pretty at histrix more neatly sized version but it works.

[fzxdoc]

That mesh firebox screen fix looks like it should come standard with a KBQ. I'm in the same situation as the OP (says she, sadly): too many trees and undergrowth too close to our mountainside deck or terrace. I'd love to own a KBQ and would have purchased one years ago had I not seen some videos on the sparks and embers that come from it during a cook.

I live vicariously through KBQ cooks posted here, though.

Kathryn

[CALNZ]

fzxdoc Hi. I got one about 6 weeks ago roughly and I am totally in love with it. I always wanted a stick burner but just don’t have space (or a family that would allow one one on the property anyway!). This thing is better. Perfect meat every time, custom smoke profiles that are the best I’ve tasted, almost fool proof (good for a fool like me), it cooks things to perfection in two thirds of the time, I get to burn logs which I enjoy, it has a huge capacity and takes up barely any more space than a kettle.

I can barely believe how good it is…Or how much fun I am having with it.

The tradeoff of the embers and live fire aspect is worth finding a solution for…. The mesh did the trick for me. I keep a hose close too. Truth is it would be ok without those 99.999pc of time but the piece of mind allows me to enjoy the other aspects more. Maybe that would work for you too?

[fzxdoc]

Thanks for the encouragement and the temptation to purchase a KBQ, CALNZ . I've wanted one ever since they came out. I just don't have a good safe spot for one. Enjoy using yours!

Kathryn

[Spinaker]

I think it is great that people show concern when it comes to fire risk and their pits.

That being said, when it comes to the KBQ, I feel like the embers and spark thing is a little over blown. It is not like things are flying out of the firebox, or embers and sparks are falling out all over the place. (Not that fzxdoc or others have said that exactly) Yes, embers do drop from time to time if you are poking the fire. However, you are usually right there when it happens and the KBQ cook box tends to catch most of them.While cooking, I use a grill mat and I do not use it directly on or under my deck.

I live in a heavily wooded area and I have never had any issues, mostly because I am careful about my set up. I keep the KBQ feet away from the woods, I use a grill mat and I have an extinguisher. If it is really windy, I use a different pit or I lean some cast iron griddles up against the firebox if I really feel like I have too. I do not think this is much different than what most people should do for all of their BBQ set ups. We've all seen coals and embers fall out of a Webber Kettle or sparks fly when you are lighting lump. It happens, but we all do things to mitigate the risk when it comes to our set ups. There is certainly an exception for those in super dry climates, fire bans are frequent in those areas, for good reason. IMHO, after owning the KBQ for 8+ years, for the most part, the KBQ is really no more dangerous than most other pits.

As long as you are careful, and you do what you can to mitigate risk......it is no more dangerous than having a really small fire pit. And as always, I keep a fire extinguisher on my BBQ patio, KBQ or not. (thank you CaptainMike )

[Dadof3Illinois]

This is just sound advice no matter what smoker/grill/cooker you are using.

[Huskee]

I stopped using newspaper in my charcoal chimney (unless it's winter) for this reason.

[fzxdoc]

Well said, Spinaker. Knowing the degree of risk when working with live fire and making our decisions accordingly works. Our area frequently has fire bans. I'm wary of using lump charcoal and mind it carefully. And I have a fire extinguisher in my deck kitchen area, within easy reach if it is ever needed. Fireproof mats too.
Fire pits and wood-burning fireplaces are not allowed in new construction in our community. It's a small price to pay, though, for the surrounding beauty here.

Kathryn