How to Build and Extinguish a Safe and Warm Campfire
Conservationist and Sierra Club founder John Muir once said, “The glories of a mountain campfire are far greater than may be guessed.”
While campfires provide warmth for your body and soul in the outdoors, if you are going to enjoy a campfire, it’s imperative to do so as safely and responsibly as possible—particularly as climate change and dry weather conditions make the forests more susceptible to wildfires.
Before starting a fire, be sure you have a large bucket and a close, easily accessible water source along with a shovel of some kind to help put out the fire.
Wherever possible, always use a fire ring. If you’re in the backcountry without a metal fire ring, try to find a flat, level rock to build the fire on. If that’s not available, build it on bare earth, surrounded by a ring of several rocks. Clear the area of flammable debris or objects, keeping everything at least a metre or two away in all directions.
Another option if you’re travelling in Canada’s backcountry by canoe is a portable firebox. It leaves no scar or trace on the land, uses less firewood and, to a certain extent, can help function as a windbreak for your fire.
Always keep the fire a reasonable size—not too big—and be aware that sparks from the fire can land outside the “safe” area and cause fires or scald otherwise happy outdoor enthusiasts. Constantly monitor the fire, making sure to stamp out any sparks that may fly out.
If there is a fire ban, obey it; you can typically enjoy a propane fire pit instead. Even when there is no ban, if the fire hazard rating is “high” or above, with winds more than 20 kilometres per hour, do not risk building a campfire. It’s best to build one only when the hazard rating is low or moderate. Every province has a fire danger class rating; it’s helpful to know what each class means.
Once you are done with your fire, take a large bucket of water and drown the fire with it. Wait a few minutes, then take a shovel or other non-flammable tool and stir the ashes and remaining logs and coals around, separating them as far apart as possible. Then drown it again, making sure that there are no warm embers left. The entire area in which the fire burned should be cool to the touch before you leave the area.
The expression, “Chaperone your fire, don’t let it go out alone,” is good to remember.
Stay safe out there, and always keep your campfire in control and fully extinguished before adventuring on.
