| 367 | LNT - Minimize Campfire Impact | 2011-03-28 |
I am not a fire builder. Since Boy Scouts, I have probably built less than 10 campfires. Early in my outdoor experiences I began using small backpacking stoves (the 8r and 123) and really could not see the need to build a fire. To me a fire was always just another chore for which I just did not have the time or patience. Smores were a little difficult to make; but what hardcore outdoorsman would eat a smore anyway?
Well, I finally got married. My wife was a fire builder. In fact, I think she was the goddess of fire. She enjoyed chopping wood, building the fire, and warming to the flames.
Few campground nights are now without a fire. Now, I help collect firewood; but I am not allowed to build the fires. Amy loves to build fires and I let her.
Despite my wife's love for fires, I never recall our building a fire in the backcountry. Generally we play hard and then when camp is made we just want to eat and sleep. There is not a lot time for fire building. There have been instances where a fire would have even been helpful in trying to warm and dry our bodies and clothes; but we still resisted. We did not build fires because of land use restrictions or because we felt the area just did not need more fire damage.
The Leave No Trace principle, Minimize Campfire Impacts, demonstrates how to build a campfire without an impact on the environment.
A few fire building tips...
First decide if the area can support fires. Are there existing fire rings to use? Can you gather wood and build the fire without impacting the area?
Always bring a stove. A small light stove is more efficient for cooking than a fire.
Learn to build mound fires or use a fire pan to lessen impact.
Collect only dead and down wood. It is more work, but walk away from the camp area to find wood. Disperse the search and choose a few pieces from several locations instead of picking one area clean of downed wood.
If you can't break the wood, then it is too big. Keep the fire small.
Never chop, saw, or damage a standing tree.
If firewood is scarce in the area, then it is probably not a good place to build a fire. Don't worry, you can always sing around the camp stove.
If you build a fire, allow it to burn to ash.
Extinguish the ash embers with water.
When breaking camp scatter the ashes.
Never throw cans, bottles, etc into the fire. The cans and bottles do not burn, really!
Everything not burned to a scatter-able ash, needs to be packed out.
Carry a stove and only build fires in areas that can support a fire. Practice the Leave No Trace principles and skills.
Happy no impact campfire trails
Leave No Trace