Campfire Basics > 캠핑

Campfires at Campgrounds

• If camping at a developed site, check with the campground operator to make sure fires are permitted. In some areas, severe dry periods can cause campfires to be prohibited even in campgrounds.
• If car camping in an undeveloped site (a so-called "dispersed" area), check in advance with the agency that administers the land (U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, et al.) to make sure fires are allowed. A campfire permit may be required. It is your responsibility to know the regulations and how to maintain a fire.
• Use only local firewood. Do not bring wood with you if you’re traveling from more than 50 miles away. Campgrounds may even ban bring-your-own firewood regardless of the distance you travel. Why? To avoid introducing troublesome insects into a forest. Transported firewood may harbor hitchhiking insects that can escape into a new environment and become invasive pests. Learn more at dontmovefirewood.org. Nearby stores often carry firewood, and sometimes campground hosts offer bundles for sale. Call the campground or a local ranger office in advance for information and advice.
• If you forage for firewood, gather only downed wood far from your site. Never cut live trees or break off branches from standing trees, even dead trees. Birds and wildlife makes use of dead branches and snags.
• Build fires only in designated fire rings, grills or fireplaces. If you're at an undeveloped camp, evaluate the site before starting a fire. If the site is brushy or has low-hanging branches, keep your fire small or skip it altogether. In dry conditions, fly-away embers could easily ignite a wildfire.

Campfires in the Backcountry

• Repeated wood-gathering has depleted the high country of soil-stabilizing, nutrient-building ground cover.
• Human-built fire rings, with their sooty residue, have tarnished many natural settings with scars of human intrusion.
• Poorly tended fires have escalated into ruinous wildfires.
• Backpacking stoves offer a lightweight, clean, convenient and fuel-efficient alternative, making backcountry fires nearly obsolete.

• Know fire restrictions before you leave the trailhead. Rangers usually provide fire-related information when they issue wilderness permits. At self-service trailheads, look for posted information on signs or kiosks regarding fire and fire danger. Be aware that during extremely dry conditions, ordinary fire restrictions may be overridden by tighter restrictions. It is your responsibility to know the regulations and how to maintain a fire.
• Gather only downed wood, ideally far from your site. Otherwise, over time the area will become denuded. Never cut live trees or break off branches from a standing tree, even a dead tree. Wildlife makes use of such snags.
• Do not gather or burn pieces thicker than an adult's wrist. Thick chunks of wood are rarely allowed to burn completely and are typically left behind as blackened, unsightly scraps.
• In backcountry areas where fires are permitted, use an existing fire ring if one has been left behind. Build a new one only in emergency situations and, if the situation permits, dismantle it when you are done. If one already exists, clean it out before you depart.
• Clear away all flammable material from your fire pit. Ideally, the pit (base) of your fire should be nonflammable earth (sand, gravel) or mineral soil (often found in streambeds or on gravel bars). Intense heat can sterlize healthy soil, so choose your site conscientiously.
• If you are building an emergency fire to stay warm and survive, it's understandable if land stewardship is not your primary focus. Still, don't pillage the landscape. At this point, firestarter and waterproof matches will be 2 of your most valued possessions.
• An alternative to a fire ring is a mound fire. Using your sanitation trowel, build a circular, flat platform of mineral soil (sandy, light-colored, nonfertile dirt) about 6" to 8" high. Use this as the base for your fire. Ideally, build this platform on a flat rock. The goal is to avoid searing (thus sterilizing) any plant-supporting soil below. You can easily disperse the mound when you're finished.
  
• Pack out any trash found in your pit. Extract any charcoal pieces left inside your ring, carry them away from your site, crush the chunks, then scatter the remnants and dust throughout a broad area. Dismantle any structure you might have built. This may sound like a lot of work, but it is the responsible way to disguise a campfire's long-lasting aftereffects.

Starting and Extinguishing a Fire

• Start the fire by building a small, inverted cone of dry sticks, twigs and forest duff and igniting it with a match. (Be sure to carry waterproof matches and firestarter. Fire-making materials are considered one of the Ten Essentials.)
• Add larger pieces of wood as the fire's kindling temperature increases. Move embers to the fire's center to burn them completely. Ideally, you should reduce them to white ash.
• Burn trash items only if they can be fully consumed by fire and turned to ash. Do not attempt to burn plastic, cans or foil. If you do burn something that's not fully consumed, collect the remains when the fire is out and either pack it out or put it in a trash receptacle.
• Never leave a campfire unattended!
• If you need to dry out clothing, tie a cord tautly between a pair of trees well above the flames; carefully drape a few wet items across the cord and over the fire.
• Extinguish all fires by pouring water on them, stirring the ashes, then applying more water. Repeat as often as needed. Ashes should be cool to the touch before you leave the site. Be utterly certain a fire and its embers are out and cold before you depart.

Summary