Alternatives to campfires?

[WanderingCanuck]

Maybe I'm perpetuating an urban (or rural) legend, or maybe it's a local thing.

Either way, you need to be aware of the local rules, customs, and how not to be an idiot.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

In many places you can get around this by purchasing a package of wieners.  Then it's a cooking fire, and is often an exception.

Not in National Forests (and I would guess BLM has the same restrictions).  Not even the small wood burning camping stoves.  Only propane/LPG stoves.  In stage 1 you can have a small fire in a fire ring in an NF campground.

In stage 2 only propane/LPG stoves in an area cleared of all burnable materials for 3 feet.

In stage 3 you need a special permit (and reason) to be in the area.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/coconino/home/?cid=stelprdb5423784

 

[WanderingCanuck]

I now regret putting that off-hand tidbit out there and wish I could retract it to get this thread back on track.

 

[Canine]

I now regret putting that off-hand tidbit out there and wish I could retract it to get this thread back on track.

It did get a little off track, but if a lot of people have questions about exceptions to fires during a fire ban, those are important issues to address. I'm glad you brought it up.

 

[LoupGarou]

I Baton my firewood using an old machete and a hubcap removal hammer that has a rubber mallet head.

Splitting the wood up creates a smaller fire that tends to burn hotter with more flame and less smoke.

 

[Almost There]

In many places you can get around this by purchasing a package of wieners.  Then it's a cooking fire, and is often an exception.

That 'work around' usually works only for complying with municipal by-laws that prevent having a backyard campfire. Most municipalities now require that you apply for a permit to do any burning (leaves/debris etc) and included in that ban is having a backyard campfire. The only exception to the by-law is usually if it is for cooking purposes.

A friend used to regularly get visits from the fire chief when a neighbor would phone in that she was having a fire in the backyard for her kids on sleepover nights. A package of wieners and some marshmallows were always present and in use. The neighbor was a grumpy old 'B' and loved to try to get her in trouble for anything. Eventually, the fire chief would simply show up and do his duty to respond to the call, knowing full well that it was a nuisance complaint!

Of course, if the area was under a fire ban, it took precedence over the municipal rules anyways.

 

[QinReno]

I now regret putting that off-hand tidbit out there and wish I could retract it to get this thread back on track.

That's the problem with this forum - once you say something, then 15-minutes later, you can never unsay it. So for the rest of eternity, everyone else will be saying: "Oh, ... THAT ... guy". Like having a big red letter on your forehead. (just kidding).

 

[QinReno]

... Oh, and if you don't feel like sleeping that night, or for the next couple of nights, really good ghost stories are much better in the middle of a dark forest with no lights whatsoever.  You'll never be the same afterward.

Yeah, ghost stories, or maybe just a thump in the night, off in the woods.

I was in a campground above Sisters OR in May, and there was only one other guy in there. He had just come in that morning, was tent camping, and started a fire in the fire ring about 9:45 PM. Then, about 10:05 I heard this car start up and roar out of the CG. I looked out the window, and it was the guy leaving the CG. 

Next morning I went over to his campsite to see what was what. His junk was scattered all over the place. Food was on the picnic table. He took his tent, but not all the stakes or even the bag to hold the tent. He had had a crate of 1L plastic water bottles, and he simply threw it onto the fire, so the bottles melted and put out the fire. 

The camp host (who made the rounds of 4 CGS) showed in the morning, and it took a while to clean up the mess. So much for a thump in the night, and how to put out your campfires.

 

[reppans]

Wood Wyck Candles.... they have a unique sputter/crackle that sounds like a mini log fire - various scents, soothing to hear, and nice to watch. Large candle claims ~150hrs burn time or ~$0.10/hr (outlet price).

Problems are the scent might be overpowering in an enclosed space like a van, and they need 3-4hrs of burn at time to burn evenly, otherwise the wax will 'tunnel' down the center.

Lots of YouTube vids.

 

[frater secessus]

I have a Kirkman #2 ("champion") lantern; the guy does epic work.  The lantern is beautifully made, throws light beautifully, handles wind, and feels totally appropriate out here on the range.  

I had a ~dozen lanterns at home and this is the only one that made the journey with me.  It brings me joy.

[img=250x188]http://img.mousetrap.net/misc/kirkman02burn.jpg[/img]

 

[rm.w/aview]

^ Thanks for the link ^

 

[WILD@HEART]

A full keg of beer often has that effect.

lol 

 

[regis101]

Googled up propane and crunched some quick math in regards to the Lowes fire pit link a couple pages ago.
~ 6 hrs on high and 12 hrs on low with a 20# tank.  But this will be less as the ambient temp gets colder.
Now, I'll have to ponder that vs cord after cord after cord of wood .  Much easier for me to tote four cylinders of propane compared to a trailer full of wood to an outing.  
Things that make ya say, Hmmmm.
* edit. copy/paste . A 20 lb. propane tank has a 430,270 BTU capacity. 430270 divided by 58,000 = 7.4 hours of burn time wide open. *
YMMV

 

[Willie Dorr]

See, this is why you need a Jackery and a string of Christmas lights. Works great, excellent atmospherics.

We're all going to be gathering around that and my backpacker stove tomorrow night, because the fire pit on this farm got smooshed by a tractor. Yeah, there's smoke, but it's a small fire -- five inch square opening on the top, seven inches high -- and once started, you can feed long sticks into it as it burns. The thing about this approach is, however you may feel about mosquitoes, some of us do not love them, and the smoke helps that.

 

[kygreg]

I think this wood pellet burning lantern looks interesting.

 

[jacqueg]

I vote no campfire at all. True dark is a novel experience these days, and I relish it. I’ve never found that dark impedes anyone’s ability to talk. But I think if I ran into that situation, an electric lantern would provide sufficient light.

 

[B and C]

Most of the time, moonlight is quite sufficient for walking around. Let your eyes get adjusted to the dark. It always amazes me to see an almost full moon and people walking around with flashlights.

 

[bagabum]

Well I looked, and sure enough, there is a "campfire app".  your lap top may get spit on or you may wake up with a raw hotdog laying on it.

 

[Travelmonkey]

I am also not a fan of campfires for the most part. I rarely us it, but I have a Solo Stove fire pit that greatly reduces the smoke. It is double walled so it doesn’t put out much heat; the heat goes straight up. It is pretty to look at...

 

[B and C]

Don't get me wrong, I do like a campfire with friends as the flames can be mesmerizing. I think I have only had 2 by myself. Not quite the same. I generally retreat to inside after dark as it cools off. Maybie watch a movie and go to bed. Up before sunrise to watch the world come awake with a hot cup o jo!