I have had this happen a couple of times and wondered if anyone else has noticed it....Usually when the fire goes out the fire pit is left. Well, several times the fire is burning away merrily and when I tried to make a stew, the woman is "confused". When I checked the fire there was no hours of burn time yet there it was. That has happened several other times. I've learned to check to be sure a fire is really there every day before I try to make a stew. Of course I try to make sure it doesn't go out but it's really strange to see a fire but know it really isn't there.