A cool fall evening, a crackling fire and a comfortable chair. Maybe something to sip and marshmallows to toast. The back yard is a pretty good place to be.
Unless you're next door, closing windows and hauling the laundry inside.
Backyard fire pits can make a chilly evening worth spending outdoors. But the smoke doesn't necessarily stay with the people enjoying the fire. The neighbors may get a living room that smells like a campsite, without so much as a s'more.
For an upcoming Block Talk, Patch's exclusive neighborhood etiquette column, we want to hear how you handle that divide.
Should neighbors give one another a little latitude for an occasional fire? Should the person lighting it check with the people next door? And if someone asks for the fire to be put out, is that a reasonable request or too much say over what people do in their own back yard?
Tell us what you think about firepits, whether you were tending the fire or getting the smoke, and how you think neighbors should work it out. Just fill out the survey below. As always, we don't collect email addresses.
Block Talk is an exclusive Patch series on neighborhood etiquette — and readers provide the answers. If you have a topic you'd like us to consider, email beth.dalbey@patch.com with "Block Talk" as the subject line. Catch up on past columns.
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