Fire Policy
DrachenFest US
Last Update 4 days ago
The DrachenFest event has unique hazards as both an in-door and out-door event, making use of anchored oil based tiki torch lamps, flammable tent & structure materials (canvas & wood), outdoor power extension cables, participants bringing and setting up their own fire-pits for recreation and for cooking. This section will cover what you need to know about restricted materials and firepit usage as a player at DrachenFest US. NOTE: Fire SOPs were generated specifically for the DrachenFest event using the US national FEMA guidelines on developing fire safety SOPs (https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-197-508.pdf)
Furthermore, our referees and operations staff receive fire safety training as part of our 7-10 hour online course, and a practical hands-on in-person briefing prior to the event.
Important Note: All fire and effects approvals are subject to inspection and review as needed by DFUS ref and Fire Marshal teams and may be adjusted or withdrawn based on evolving weather, event conditions, or general safety.
Smoke/Fog/Pyrotechnics and other Restricted Materials
As a player, special effects using unlisted pyrotechnics of any sort must check in with the fire safety team before using them. This includes any open flame or pyrotechnic that is not listed below. This can be done before game on. Your camp referee can facilitate this communication at the event. Otherwise, the proper channel would be to go through your camp coordinator first, and then through the chat box on Drachenfest.us
Otherwise, the following materials have guidelines that must be followed:
Green class restricted materials must be checked by a ref before you are cleared to use them. These include:
Yellow Class Restricted Materials must be checked by the Fire & Safety Marshal before EVERY use, and are never permitted in official battle action (50 participants or more) and must have the consent of every individual involved. These include:
Red Class restricted materials are not permitted at any point. This includes:
Fire Performers
Fire performers, fire spinners, and fire breathers need to check in with the fire safety team before performing. This can be done before game on. Before lighting up performers will need their own fuel with a securable lid, a dedicated spotter equipped with a smothering towel, and a B-C extinguisher. Performers with concerns should contact the fire safety team. We want to help you perform and do it safely. Fire performances will be given heavy scrutiny, and generally will not be accepted unless specifically brought on by the Organization to perform. Performers must have a minimum of four years of professional experience before a performance will even be considered. Performances that use fire or heat sources that make direct, prolonged contact with the skin will not be entertained.
Restricted Areas
Even if you are not a performer, and simply want to use fire at any point- All fire, cooking or otherwise must take place in the pre-approved play areas. There are many locations restricted by the camp site usually relating to water, electricity & sewage lines. Particularly warm weather and dry grass may also result in restricted areas. Check with a referee before using any sort of open flame, and they will be able to ascertain the location of these.
Exception: Alchemy laboratory gamespace
Most of the time, if our staff sees smoke, we will initiate fire containment protocols. The only exception for recognizing a fire by seeing smoke is the alchemy laboratory game space, which may employ the use of smoke as part of the game. This area is a designated, clearly defined space with at least 10ft spacing from any other structures and is not enclosed in a tent, and may only have a tarp roof. A class A-C fire extinguisher must be kept at the alchemy laboratory if participants receive special referee permission to employ fire as part of the gameplay, for example to heat fire-safe bottles. The use of fire must be contained to this gamespace, and may only be used by individuals who have received special permission to employ fire. These individuals will have their participant ‘player card’ stamped by alchemy referees with ‘Lab Fire allowed’.
Firepits & Cook Fires
Existing firepits on the campsite may be utilized freely, and fire pits may be brought by participants and have a maximum diameter of 6ft. Firepits may not be unattended at any point while there are embers. If participants wish to collectively leave a fire-pit, the fire must be doused with water leaving no visible embers. Fire pits must be placed at minimum 10ft from any structures including canvas or modern tents, and game structures such as wooden palisades. Fire pits must be raised off the ground. Flames from fire pits may not exceed 4ft in height. Gasoline, kerosene, butane or other potentially explosive compounds may not be used as fire starter accelerants. Only wood may be used to fuel fire pit fires. Only solid fire-starters may be used. Any exceptions to these rules must be communicated to referees before a fire is made, and must be reviewed by the DrachenFest team’s fire marshall.
Propane Grills
Approval for grills and other propane based cooktops will require pre-approval from your camp coordinator to ensure standards are met: that the grill placement meets our fire safety requirements and that if the set-up is in an in-game area, that non-decorum elements are disguised or hidden. If approved, Camp Refs will direct you where to set up. Be aware that Unless your grill is sufficiently decorum (Not brightly colored or otherwise overtly modern) it will likely be placed in an OOG area. This determination is made pre-game by the camp coordinator.
Hanging Lanterns and Pole Mounted Flames (ie Tiki Torches)
Open flames (such as Tiki Torches) may be used for ambient lighting with Camp Coordinator approval. However, they must be placed at minimum 10ft from any game structures such as wooden palisades. Extreme caution should be exercised around torches within 5 feet of canvas or tents. However, all torches must be at least 43 inches in height (total) and securely fashioned at least 6 inches in the ground, or anchored with a stake.
Candles
You may not leave candles unattended in situations where there is risk of the candle falling over, i.e. inclement weather etc. If a candle is placed on a surface it must have a flameproof dish or barrier between it and or other flammable materials (wood, cloth etc). Candle usage is only acceptable if there is a fire extinguisher within 25 yards and can never be placed on highly flammable materials such as polyester.
Firepit hazard mitigation & prevention
Every camp ref station will keep a min. 20 lbs Class A-C fire extinguisher (4-A:40B:C) from Tuesday to Sunday. In the event that a fire extinguisher is found to be defective or discharged during the event, they will be replaced with a new fire extinguisher, kept at Ref HQ. In the bazaar camp, every merchant vendor must keep a class A-C fire extinguisher on their allotment (no minimum size). We encourage you to bring your own as well, especially if you plan on doing a lot with fire.
Oil fires
In the case that an individual is using oil, either for tiki torches or for cooking over a firepit, and the oil catches, or the source of the flame is suspected to be an oil fire - responding staff members will call ‘OIL FIRE, NO WATER’ if participants may be trying to assist in combating the fire. Only a class A-C fire extinguisher should be employed
Ash Collection
At the end of the week, the campsite owner will gather ashes from the camp’s ash collection dumpster. This dumpster is located nearest to red camp, at the T Junction. Participants must gather all their leftover ashes and place them in this location before they leave site.
Fire Extinguishers will be placed at the following locations for safety:
Furthermore, our referees and operations staff receive fire safety training as part of our 7-10 hour online course, and a practical hands-on in-person briefing prior to the event.
Important Note: All fire and effects approvals are subject to inspection and review as needed by DFUS ref and Fire Marshal teams and may be adjusted or withdrawn based on evolving weather, event conditions, or general safety.
Smoke/Fog/Pyrotechnics and other Restricted Materials
As a player, special effects using unlisted pyrotechnics of any sort must check in with the fire safety team before using them. This includes any open flame or pyrotechnic that is not listed below. This can be done before game on. Your camp referee can facilitate this communication at the event. Otherwise, the proper channel would be to go through your camp coordinator first, and then through the chat box on Drachenfest.us
Otherwise, the following materials have guidelines that must be followed:
Green class restricted materials must be checked by a ref before you are cleared to use them. These include:
- Fog Juice (Liquid smoke effects primarily using propylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and glycerin)
- Chlorides for changing fire coloration.
Yellow Class Restricted Materials must be checked by the Fire & Safety Marshal before EVERY use, and are never permitted in official battle action (50 participants or more) and must have the consent of every individual involved. These include:
- Smoke effects esp. those requiring open flame.
- Holi Powder
Red Class restricted materials are not permitted at any point. This includes:
- Nitrocellulose
- red / yellow phosphorus.
- Fireworks of any kind.
Fire Performers
Fire performers, fire spinners, and fire breathers need to check in with the fire safety team before performing. This can be done before game on. Before lighting up performers will need their own fuel with a securable lid, a dedicated spotter equipped with a smothering towel, and a B-C extinguisher. Performers with concerns should contact the fire safety team. We want to help you perform and do it safely. Fire performances will be given heavy scrutiny, and generally will not be accepted unless specifically brought on by the Organization to perform. Performers must have a minimum of four years of professional experience before a performance will even be considered. Performances that use fire or heat sources that make direct, prolonged contact with the skin will not be entertained.
Restricted Areas
Even if you are not a performer, and simply want to use fire at any point- All fire, cooking or otherwise must take place in the pre-approved play areas. There are many locations restricted by the camp site usually relating to water, electricity & sewage lines. Particularly warm weather and dry grass may also result in restricted areas. Check with a referee before using any sort of open flame, and they will be able to ascertain the location of these.
Exception: Alchemy laboratory gamespace
Most of the time, if our staff sees smoke, we will initiate fire containment protocols. The only exception for recognizing a fire by seeing smoke is the alchemy laboratory game space, which may employ the use of smoke as part of the game. This area is a designated, clearly defined space with at least 10ft spacing from any other structures and is not enclosed in a tent, and may only have a tarp roof. A class A-C fire extinguisher must be kept at the alchemy laboratory if participants receive special referee permission to employ fire as part of the gameplay, for example to heat fire-safe bottles. The use of fire must be contained to this gamespace, and may only be used by individuals who have received special permission to employ fire. These individuals will have their participant ‘player card’ stamped by alchemy referees with ‘Lab Fire allowed’.
Firepits & Cook Fires
Existing firepits on the campsite may be utilized freely, and fire pits may be brought by participants and have a maximum diameter of 6ft. Firepits may not be unattended at any point while there are embers. If participants wish to collectively leave a fire-pit, the fire must be doused with water leaving no visible embers. Fire pits must be placed at minimum 10ft from any structures including canvas or modern tents, and game structures such as wooden palisades. Fire pits must be raised off the ground. Flames from fire pits may not exceed 4ft in height. Gasoline, kerosene, butane or other potentially explosive compounds may not be used as fire starter accelerants. Only wood may be used to fuel fire pit fires. Only solid fire-starters may be used. Any exceptions to these rules must be communicated to referees before a fire is made, and must be reviewed by the DrachenFest team’s fire marshall.
Propane Grills
Approval for grills and other propane based cooktops will require pre-approval from your camp coordinator to ensure standards are met: that the grill placement meets our fire safety requirements and that if the set-up is in an in-game area, that non-decorum elements are disguised or hidden. If approved, Camp Refs will direct you where to set up. Be aware that Unless your grill is sufficiently decorum (Not brightly colored or otherwise overtly modern) it will likely be placed in an OOG area. This determination is made pre-game by the camp coordinator.
Hanging Lanterns and Pole Mounted Flames (ie Tiki Torches)
Open flames (such as Tiki Torches) may be used for ambient lighting with Camp Coordinator approval. However, they must be placed at minimum 10ft from any game structures such as wooden palisades. Extreme caution should be exercised around torches within 5 feet of canvas or tents. However, all torches must be at least 43 inches in height (total) and securely fashioned at least 6 inches in the ground, or anchored with a stake.
Candles
You may not leave candles unattended in situations where there is risk of the candle falling over, i.e. inclement weather etc. If a candle is placed on a surface it must have a flameproof dish or barrier between it and or other flammable materials (wood, cloth etc). Candle usage is only acceptable if there is a fire extinguisher within 25 yards and can never be placed on highly flammable materials such as polyester.
Firepit hazard mitigation & prevention
Every camp ref station will keep a min. 20 lbs Class A-C fire extinguisher (4-A:40B:C) from Tuesday to Sunday. In the event that a fire extinguisher is found to be defective or discharged during the event, they will be replaced with a new fire extinguisher, kept at Ref HQ. In the bazaar camp, every merchant vendor must keep a class A-C fire extinguisher on their allotment (no minimum size). We encourage you to bring your own as well, especially if you plan on doing a lot with fire.
Oil fires
In the case that an individual is using oil, either for tiki torches or for cooking over a firepit, and the oil catches, or the source of the flame is suspected to be an oil fire - responding staff members will call ‘OIL FIRE, NO WATER’ if participants may be trying to assist in combating the fire. Only a class A-C fire extinguisher should be employed
Ash Collection
At the end of the week, the campsite owner will gather ashes from the camp’s ash collection dumpster. This dumpster is located nearest to red camp, at the T Junction. Participants must gather all their leftover ashes and place them in this location before they leave site.
Fire Extinguishers will be placed at the following locations for safety:
- Every camp ref station
- Every vendor stand in the city
- The Orgaplex