Campfires are an integral part of what getting into the outdoors is all about for me. Gathering dead wood and having a fire is one of the greatest things about being in the outdoors. Ill never stop it.
Ditto for me, Gaiters. Especially as I live in an unheated house in town. Fires are better than TV though sometimes I've lit a fire and no one else comes and sits by it. Being able to light a fire is a good survival skill too. I got a fire going in the rain on a 5 Passes trip and people loved it, clustering round and feeding it long after I'd gone to bed.
I build the fire on a rock base to protect the ground and often dismantle other people's fire rings and rehabilitate the ground if there's more than one in an informal campsite.
I always light a fire if possible. Best way to cook my steak.
Except for a survival situation a fire is hardly necessary and considering their potential for harm I'd have to say I'm seeing the justification in a total ban on them.
If you want something to stare at, get a kindle.
Imagine everyone in a circle of friends around a headlamp.
Its not the same.
However I dont miss black pots and the wife doesnt miss black specs through the dishwasher.
Campfires do have there place but be careful with them and dont light one in front of the ranger
just congregate around your gas cooker...
Maybe this section of the forum "The Campfire" needs to be renamed to something else...
tea billy perhaps. I dont drink tea so what about the coffee cup
I assisted on a Duke of Edinburgh course once and the instructors got us to each bring a squat candle. We sat around them and all I could think is, I wish we could have a campfire.
Honora, which DOE was that?! I've assisted on a few, and of course, just like Scouts etc, the highlight is usually sitting around the campfire at night.
Campfires are an integral part of the outdoors. And lets face it; not exactly a huge threat of bushfires in NZ!
So.... This is one 'rule' I shall be ignoring. I don't ignore many at all, but this is simply ridiculous.
I don't always light a fire. In fact, more often than not I don't, in reality, unless I'm with a group. But when I want one, I light one. I do it carefully and respectfully, and always clean up afterwards.
Also, if you abide by this and never light fires, what happens when you find yourself in a survival situation and you CAN'T light a fire, because you haven't practiced?
Stuff that.
Fire is a key component of survival, especially in the extreme temperatures NZ is known for. So.....
Come tramping or camping with me, and let's enjoy a campfire together. ;)
