Windy grilling is a bad idea. Move it or skip it.

Probably don’t grill in strong wind.

Wind feeds oxygen into a fire. More oxygen means bigger flames, hotter coals, and flare-ups that char your food and singe your eyebrows. It also makes temperature control impossible.

If you absolutely have to grill in a breeze (and your grill isn’t in a garage or under a carport, which you shouldn’t do anyway), position the grill so the wind hits the back, not the cooking surface. Keep the lid down as much as possible—lifting it lets in a blast of air. Clean the grease tray before you start; built-up grease is just fuel waiting for a wind gust. And never walk away.

The honest tip: if the wind is strong enough to bend trees, cook inside. Your burgers will survive.