Campfires and Safety

[toedtoes]

Last fall, I was supposed to go camping at Lassen Volcanic National Park. Unfortunately, the Dixie Fire moved into the park and it was closed.

So last week, I made the trip. Driving along Hwy 89 in the park, you could see the damage done by the fire. The east side of the highway was burned. The firfighters managed to hold the fire from crossing the highway (there were a few spots where there was some trees burned on the west side, but it was contained for the most part).

When the campers left on either side of my site left after a fewday stay, they drove off with their fires still smouldering with hot embers. I went over to both and watered them dead. The camphost was seen putting out another campfire left smouldering by a camper. The morning I was leaving, the new campers next to me went off to the lake - leaving their campfire smouldering.

I am amazed at how careless people are - even with the effects of the last fire still so obvious all around.

I do understand that people are cooking on these fires multiple times a day, but seriously PUT YOUR DAMN FIRE OUT WHEN YOU LEAVE YOUR CAMPSITE - EVEN IF IT'S JUST FOR AN HOUR OR SO!!!!!!!!!

[MacGyver]

[toedtoes]

I suppose they are the same idiots who drop their phones into the boiling sulphur pits...

[John Joseph]

I remember coming across a recently abandoned campsite one morning and the campfire was still smoldering. Thankfully i had drunk a lot of coffee that morning so I was ready willing and able to drown the coals.

[Happy Joe]

Many folks just do not understand how long campfire coals can remain dangerous (able to ignite a fire) when not completely drowned/out.

Given the average intellect of some "acquaintances" I have had to stand fire watch until dawn a number of times... here in Colorado leaving a fire unattended can be a class 3 misdemeanor and carry's a fine of up to $570.

There are some folks who like to build fires that are way larger than necessary, however they rarely seem to be concerned enough to put them completely out.
(the resulting fireball when gasoline in used by the ignorant the next day in an attempt to restart the fire can sometimes be described as awesome... Beer is occasionally useful to extinguish the often smoldering and hair-reduced perpetrator)....

An old guy once said, "if your gonna be stupid, you had better be tough".

Enjoy!

[John Joseph]

I remember coming across a recently abandoned campsite one morning and the campfire was still smoldering. Thankfully i had drunk a lot of coffee that morning so I was ready willing and able to drown the coals.

You know, this might be an excellent reason for drinking beer for breakfast.
Have a cold one for Smokey!

[Raynnnin]

I remember coming across a recently abandoned campsite one morning and the campfire was still smoldering. Thankfully i had drunk a lot of coffee that morning so I was ready willing and able to drown the coals.

Good that you noticed that and drown it. Thanks coffee!

[Denni2]

Last summer traveling out west we felt like most do not take the fire bans seriously. We like to stay in National Forests and even though it was clearly posted no fires of any kind and no charcoal the camp hosts were allowing it. At Bonito Campground we could see the fire by the Grand Canyon from our site. This is a pine forest and the host told the campers next to us it was fine that they used charcoal even though it was clearly posted not to. At Single Tree Campground in Fish Lake National Forest it was worse. It was posted Risk of fire very high. The was a girls church group there having bon fires. Friends of the Camp host were next to us. The host sat with them around the fire. We packed up and left even though we paid for 3 nights. We are from northeastern Indiana and it is quite common for people to get drunk and build a huge fire then go to bed leaving the fire burn. Or strike camp and leave the fire burn. These are the same people that leave food out on the table and complain to the rangers when the raccoons carry it off or spread there stuff all over the ground.

[toedtoes]

I guess it comes down to the "it won't happen to me" mentality. Fortunately, I grew up with a strong sense of "if I do it, it will go badly" and learned to not take stupid chances. I didn't jump off the roof of the house because I knew I'd end up with a broken bone. I don't leave campfires unattended, or start then during a fire ban, because I know I'd end up stsrting a forest fire.