Too many people just don't understand 1) radiative heat and 2) don't walk away from the fire next to your house. Our HOA goes too far the other way; no grill closer than 10 feet from any house. Absurd! To start, no one pays attention ridiculous rules (the HOA blames it on the insurance company). And if i (or anyone) tried to have my grill 10 feet from my house, it would be off my property. Some education is needed all around.
For 12 years I violated all the rules -- grill on wood deck, rail 6" behind, wood ceiling 5 feet above. I paid close attention to the first two rules above and checked frequently to ensure I was safe. Today I often have an umbrella 4 feet above my grill which is about 5 feet from the house and i pay even closer attention to those rules.
(One of the first rules i learned about using a woodstove: never forget you have a fire in a box inside your house. )
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