Would your camping experience be complete without a campfire? While allowing fires often means inviting risk into a forested setting, many outdoor recreators insist that a campfire can be the best part of a night spent in the woods.
In a recent editorial published by Outside's Madeleine Carey, the idea of 'banning all campfires' is proposed – which Carey notes is a euphemism, but uses the 'extreme' idea as a launch point to address how dangerous a campfire can be, citing recent studies that show 89 percent of all wildfires are human caused – 97 percent when it comes to fires that threaten homes.
As described by Carey, a decision as radical as banning all campfires with exceptions during exceptionally wet periods would send a message to the public that campfires and other human factors are the reason behind the majority of the American West's wildfire problem, especially during recent dryer years.
As might be expected, Carey's proposal was met with a rather mixed reaction online.
While some people showed support, the majority of commenters on social media seemed a bit enraged by the idea. Some feared more government control and restrictions. Others expressed that bans don't solve the problem of people being uneducated when it comes to fire safety best practices. Some commenters even expressed concern that a campfire ban would impact public enjoyment, thus public interest, in the outdoor space – presumably impacting the desire to keep protecting it.
A few weekends ago, I took part in a Leave No Trace instructor course, and a big portion of that class dealt with wildfire safety and best practices – and lessons learned there can be applied to this discussion.
The crux of the Leave No Trace opinion when it comes to campfires is to ask a key question before sparking up – "do we really need this fire?" And the reason to ask that question is because, whether we like it or not, campfires do take a toll on the land. That first question is then followed by another – "is it safe to start a fire?"
And granted, there are plenty of ethical reasons to start a fire – cooking food, warmth, the primal connection with nature that a campfire can help foster. Heck, starting a fire can even be good practice when it comes to honing survival skills.
Regardless of the reason to start a fire, it holds true that it's always crucial to consider whether or not the risks outweigh the reward.
Are the conditions right for a campfire? Can firewood be collected in a sustainable manner? Will a campfire damage the campsite? After all, even if a fire isn't at risk of burning down the surroundings, scorched ground can prevent growth in that spot for years to come.
While a formal year-round ban on all campfires probably isn't practical or something that would ever be supported by the outdoor recreation community, the topic of discussion draws attention to a very important subject as camping season – and the inevitable wildfire season – approaches.
To those planning on sparking a fire at their campsite this summer – and I'll probably be one of them – planning ahead is key to safety and sustainability. Have a plan for the type of fire you'll be constructing. Know that you'll have a water source to douse it in an emergency scenario and have a plan for making sure that fire is out prior to leaving the campsite. Brush up on your knowledge related to collecting wood for the blaze and remember, bringing firewood from home can be a bad idea .
It's up to everyone in the outdoor recreation community to make sure campfire best practices are well-known and being implemented. After all, when campfires turn into wildfires, they're not only destructive, but can mean limited access in an area for years to come.
Read Carey's full piece here and find a list of five Leave No Trace 'best practices' for when it comes to limiting the impacts of a wildfire here .
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