Many Islanders regard fall and winter as their favorite seasons. Some aren’t willing to go into hibernation, and outdoor fire pits can help hosts continue to entertain well into the colder months.

“It’s just a nice event for the family at night, go out to the fire pit, roast some marshmallows,” says Michael Turnell, principal designer at Indigo Farm, Inc.

Outdoor fires have been popular for thousands of years, having been used for cooking, woodworking, religious ceremonies, and communication. Today, when an Oak Bluffs resident needs to reach someone in Chilmark, he’d likely reach for his cell phone before sending up smoke signals. But technology has hardly rendered fire pits obsolete.

Installation begins when Indigo Farm meets with a client to determine the fire pit’s location, size, and shape. People tend to have them built on the edge of their patios, but they work well anywhere in a backyard. While the pits are usually circular, builders are flexible.

“You can do any shape you want,” Mr. Turnell says.

Indigo Farm uses granite fieldstone as its primary building material. After digging the pit, they line the inner walls with granite and throw some more granite and sand in the bottom. Sizes vary, but the pits are usually 3.5 to 4 feet wide and 18 to 20 inches deep. Builders will place a granite wall around the pit and a large rock at one end to reflect heat. Toss a few logs or some charcoal in the pit, and let the marshmallow roasting begin.

When all is said and done, an outdoor fire pit should take no more than two days to construct. Costs can range from $1,500 to $2,000, depending on size.

Once the pit is in place, owners have an unlimited amount of outdoor furnishing options. Mr. Turnell suggests placing a couple of chairs and a table around the fire, or a stone bench. “Something that’s going to last forever,” he says.

Mr. Turnell says that, along with outdoor fire pits, Vineyard residents have caught on to another recent trend to stay warm in the looming cold months.

“People like outdoor rooms,” he says. “It’s a way of expanding your living space.”

But for those sticking to the fire pits, there are a few burning regulations about which you should be aware. “All the Island chiefs have gotten together and we’re all in agreement,” says Edgartown Fire Chief Peter Shemeth.

According to Chief Shemeth, every township on the Island follows the Massachusetts state regulations in regards to outdoor burning. These regulations are borderline prohibitive.

“Technically, the only time you can have open burning is for agricultural purposes,” he says, citing the Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 48, Section 13, which refers to the “conditions and restrictions” for “setting open air fires.”

Even this “agricultural purposes” loophole can only be exercised during certain winter months, Chief Shemeth says. Any other act of outdoor burning must be for the function of cooking, such as barbecuing on an outdoor grill. Chief Shemeth asks that Islanders use standard safety precautions when choosing to burn outside.

“A little common sense goes a long way,” he says. “The pit definitely has to have a grate if you’re going to use it for cooking, and it has to have a screen to keep embers from flying out and setting other things on fire. And it goes without saying that it has to be attended.”

“It’s good to keep water close by, of course,” adds Mr. Turnell.

If a neighbor is bothered by smoke, and the fire department is called to an outdoor burning where a fire is not grated, not screened, or unattended, then the fire department will take appropriate action. Violation of Massachusetts open air burning laws can result in a fine not in excess of $500 and imprisonment for no more than 30 days.

The best way to ensure that outdoor burning is safe and within state regulations is to notify your local fire department of your plans. “There’s no charge to come in and request a permit for cooking,” Chief Shemeth says. “Then we’re aware of it.”

For more information about state regulations regarding outdoor burning, please visit malegislature.gov.

Max Orenstein is a recent graduate of La Salle University in Philadelphia, Penn., currently living in Edgartown.