A fire pit built in your backyard can become a focal point for future gatherings, but before you're warming your hands around it on a chilly fall night or toasting marshmallows with children in your extended family, you'll need to decide how you'll fuel the fire pit. An obvious choice is to do so with wood, which you can light and burn in a controlled manner. Another option, however, is to fuel the fire pit with propane. If the latter option is of interest to you, here are some reasons that you won't regret moving forward with propane.

It Doesn't Produce Smoke

There's no arguing that the smell of wood smoke can be appealing, but your feelings about this fuel source can change quickly on a windy day. Sitting next to a wood-burning fire pit loses its appeal when the wind blows smoke in your face. Not only does the smoke sting your eyes, but it can reduce your visibility, make your clothing smell, and otherwise be irritating. A fire pit that burns with propane gas is clean-burning. There will be no smoke to bother you, which means that you and your guests can comfortably sit around the fire pit, regardless of the direction that the wind is blowing.

It's Safer

A wood-burning fire always has its share of risks. Errant sparks from dry wood can fly out of the fire pit and potentially burn you, damage your clothing, or even catch your lawn on fire. The latter is especially possible when the conditions are dry. You may sometimes be nervous about having children around a wood-burning fire pit because of the threat of sparks. These aren't concerns that you'll have when you fuel your fire pit with propane, however. It won't produce sparks, and because you can control the size of the fire, you can always keep it at a safe level.

It's More Convenient

There are conveniences to a propane-burning fire pit that you won't get to enjoy when you have a wood-burning fire pit. If it has just rained, for example, it can be extremely challenging to light a wood fire because the pit will be wet. When you fuel the fire pit with propane, dampness won't be a problem. Building a wood fire can also be time consuming, and continuing to add wood to the pit can be a hassle. With propane, you ignite the fire quickly and easily, and you can adjust the size of the blaze with a knob. Reach out to a propane supplier, like John Graves Propane of Arizona, INC., to learn more.