I'm writing this experience to maybe keep someone else from being as stupid as me.

First, Luhr-Jensen clearly states to keep their little or big chiefs on a non-combustible surface when in use. Having said that, I have always used my smoker on a piece of plywood on my deck or on a table as early as I can remember. I'm not just talking about occasional use here. I've wore out smokers several times. I'm constantly using it!

On Sunday, I had just added my third panful of chips and went out to the front yard to load my truck for a dump run. About thirty minutes later my daughter comes running out saying the smoker is on fire. She wasn't kidding! It burned a 12 inch hole in that trusty piece of plywood and through a wooden table! That plywood had never even gotten a little scorched before! There doesn't seem to be any obvious reason for this so I can only blame myself but I know something else HAD to have happened. If my daughter wouldn't have seen it, the back of the house could have eventually caught fire.

Hope this convinces one other idiot to put it on the patio.