Are old fashioned Camp Fires becoming thing of the past?

[johnsong3]

I must express one concern I have about campfires that we should all be aware of and that is fire safety.
Eight months ago we pulled into a campground where three campers were preparing to depart the site opposite us. As I set up my coach I watched them clean up their site and later carry a pale to the woods behind us. (Unusual actions but I thought it was dog or cat waste.)
Within 5 minutes of their departure I smelled smoke and checking outside I found a brush fire roaring with the wind blowing . I yelled to my wife to get us out of there. Which she did by herself, a first for her. I grabbed a hose and started wetting down the area behind our coach all the while yelling for help. My neighbors and I were able to hold the fire back from the coaches until the fire department arrived. They got the fire out and spent another two hours wetting down the area.
I assume by now you have guessed what was in the bucket. Yes, it was ashes from a campfire. When the campground owner contacted these local campers they apologized profusely. They explained they were just cleaning up and never suspected there could still be hot coals.
I know 99.9% of you practice fire safety but just think this could have been a real game changer for the wife and I. We had owned this coach less than two weeks when this happened.

[RVBulldog]

My family and I love a good campfire. As it was stated earlier in other post, it is a good camping tool for cooking and socialization. I make a sausage and peppers dish that is created on the campfire. It just does not taste the same when you try to duplicate it on a grill or stove. When I think of some of my best memories, many involve sitting around the fire. I respect everyone's opinion. That's why I stay at campgrounds that allow fires. It hasn't happens yet, but I would consider canceling a reservation if the campground didn't allow them.

I have to say that I didn't realize that there were campers that were offended by camp fires. My fire doesn't usually produce a lot of smoke. One reason is that we burn a hot fire. I have seen people who create smoke pits..... That's because they don't know what they are doing. If someone is creating a smoke pit, it should be handled by the management on a case by case basis. With that said, I personally have not seen a fire that caused anyone to have a asthma attack. If this happens, I can't help to wonder why they wouldn't back away from the fire knowing how sensitive they are. For example.... I have an allergy to cats so I don't go near them, but I also don't mind if a fellow camper brings one......I just stay away.

I wonder if any campgrounds have thought about having camp fire and non-camp fire sections. just like they have smoking and non-smoking sections.

Just my thoughts!

[Wayne M]

Originally Posted by RVBulldog

.........I have to say that I didn't realize that there were campers that were offended by camp fires. ......... I personally have not seen a fire that caused anyone to have a asthma attack. If this happens, I can't help to wonder why they wouldn't back away from the fire knowing how sensitive they are. ........I just stay away.

Just my thoughts!

Ever hear of COPD. It stands for "Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease" and it is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breath. It can cause coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms. Long term exposure to irritants like air pollution, chemical fumes, dust, may contribute to COPD. You can't help the air you breath, no one can. Yes, steps to minimize irritants can, and we do, help like running the AC, Heatpump, fans, and closing the windows when it is irritating. COPD includes two main conditions, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Many have bronchitis and in itself, not even being the acute or chronic kind, can be affect by those irritants.

Now, listen to this. COPD is a major cause of disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States. Millions of people are diagnosed with COPD and many more may have the disease and not know it. COPD mostly affect middle age and older people.

So I ask, is a person with COPD supposed to give up the lifestyle of RV'ing because others cannot be considerate. Would those who state emphatically that people with allergies, COPD, or any other type of disability should give up what they have worked so long to do, visit these United States and the many wonderful places that they were not able to visit when working?

Many try to avoid situations that are detrimental to their health, but if earlier posts are read it would be seen that tearing down camp at 9, 10, or 11 o'clock at night and trying to find another campground is just not a reasonable request.

It is a lot easier to show a little consideration, as you have done in keeping a hot fire. It is also nice to recognize that there are other people in the world that are not as fortunate as the other millions, and the less fortunate suffer.

Thanks to all those who have consideration. This topic will never end. I will.

[bjcarpetguy]

Originally Posted by johnsong3

I must express one concern I have about campfires that we should all be aware of and that is fire safety.
Eight months ago we pulled into a campground where three campers were preparing to depart the site opposite us. As I set up my coach I watched them clean up their site and later carry a pale to the woods behind us. (Unusual actions but I thought it was dog or cat waste.)
Within 5 minutes of their departure I smelled smoke and checking outside I found a brush fire roaring with the wind blowing . I yelled to my wife to get us out of there. Which she did by herself, a first for her. I grabbed a hose and started wetting down the area behind our coach all the while yelling for help. My neighbors and I were able to hold the fire back from the coaches until the fire department arrived. They got the fire out and spent another two hours wetting down the area.
I assume by now you have guessed what was in the bucket. Yes, it was ashes from a campfire. When the campground owner contacted these local campers they apologized profusely. They explained they were just cleaning up and never suspected there could still be hot coals.
I know 99.9% of you practice fire safety but just think this could have been a real game changer for the wife and I. We had owned this coach less than two weeks when this happened.

While workcamping in Cali. I put out more than a dozen left burning by campers.

[RVBulldog]

Hello Wayne,

Yes, I have heard of COPD.... Via family.....it is a terrible condition... Part of my post stated that management should deal with people causing problems on a case by case basis. I don't want you to misunderstand what I am stating since you only took parts of my quote. I can't imagine someone causing a problem and refusing to assist you when you approached them. Did that actually happen? I guess we are living in a different world today....

I believe that campers should be considerate to their neighbors.... This also goes for loud music, barking dogs, loud drinking, driving fast vehicles,....and the list goes on.... Respect your neighbor!

Thanks

[BigBill3111]

Why is it that the campfire smoke smells so good when you are arriving at the campground and the fires are burning ? Then you get your own fire going, and it smells wonderful. You stare for hours into the embers, thinking of early man, how the fire kept him warm, cooked his food, lit up the darkness, kept animals at bay, etc. Then you are relaxed, it is time to go into your camper, whatever size and kind it is, and suddenly your clothes and hair smell like stale smoke and you can't wait to change and wash yourself and your clothes.....haaaaaa. I still love a campfire, a proper safe, and considerate one.

[Wayne M]

Originally Posted by RVBulldog

Hello Wayne,

Yes, I have heard of COPD.... Via family.....it is a terrible condition... Part of my post stated that management should deal with people causing problems on a case by case basis. I don't want you to misunderstand what I am stating since you only took parts of my quote. I can't imagine someone causing a problem and refusing to assist you when you approached them. Did that actually happen? I guess we are living in a different world today....

I believe that campers should be considerate to their neighbors.... This also goes for loud music, barking dogs, loud drinking, driving fast vehicles,....and the list goes on.... Respect your neighbor!

Thanks

I admired your statement about hot fires and keeping smoke down.

The .......... is an ellipsis (typically represented by ... or [...], I just go overboard) that indicates information has been snipped. I put the part of the information that affects everyone in the quote, and really I most likely should not have used your specific post. My post was as general information to those who do not understand that there are other, just as they are "an other," people in the world. Those that like campfires are one "other" peoples, and those that dislike, campfires for any reason, are "other" peoples.

we just need to be considerate of all people.

For information on the three dots for missing text, I found this:

Three Dots for Missing Text I'll start using the [...] from now on.

[DannyA]

I would like to add just a few words.
There are good campers and bad campers. There are those that leave trash, dog poop, bottle caps, etc just like those who don't care for their fires. You can't and should not stop or be against something just because a few abuse it. If someone didn't clean up after their dogs would we ban all dogs? The dog lovers would not like that I would think.
I know there are health reasons people can't be around the smoke and I understand that and that brings different issues.
But the main thing I believe is this, there are two groups of people in the campground, RV'ers and campers.
The Rv'ers are just traveling and fires aren't important to them then they are the campers want the camping experience and that includes a fire.
Anyway, just my thoughts.

[wblynch]

Interesting thread.

We are new campers and last weekend the family next to us established their camp fire upon arrival and kept it going, and smoking, for the next 3 days non-stop.

I have to say it was a bit much and the endless smoke forced us to keep our windows closed the entire weekend.

But there is no way I was going over there to say anything about it. We are new...

I would like to make two comments:

1) The notion of dividing a campground by fire/no-fire areas is a great solution. The CG mentioned above with no on-site fires but community fires in specific locations sounds great.

2) I am a lifelong environmentalist. For all the people thinking that wood fires are harming the Earth or the environment, spend some time truly contemplating the effects of "Fracking" to get your precious Propane.

Given the choice, I pick wood.

-Bill

[thrushl]

Originally Posted by Clefor

Sure would be nice if they did ban them. They stink.

Many things stink! I'm glad they don't ban things that stink or I would not have a place to camp.

I personally LIKE the smell of the fire.

[burfurd]

Sure hard to beat a 'shin roaster'. don't knock it until you've tried it!

Burfurd

[vtwinwilly]

Confucius say...

Man who prone to sea sickness should stay off boat.

[thrushl]

Originally Posted by Wayne M

Ever hear of COPD. It stands for "Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease" and it is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breath. It can cause coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and other symptoms. Long term exposure to irritants like air pollution, chemical fumes, dust, may contribute to COPD. You can't help the air you breath, no one can. Yes, steps to minimize irritants can, and we do, help like running the AC, Heatpump, fans, and closing the windows when it is irritating. COPD includes two main conditions, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Many have bronchitis and in itself, not even being the acute or chronic kind, can be affect by those irritants.

Now, listen to this. COPD is a major cause of disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States. Millions of people are diagnosed with COPD and many more may have the disease and not know it. COPD mostly affect middle age and older people.

So I ask, is a person with COPD supposed to give up the lifestyle of RV'ing because others cannot be considerate. Would those who state emphatically that people with allergies, COPD, or any other type of disability should give up what they have worked so long to do, visit these United States and the many wonderful places that they were not able to visit when working?

Many try to avoid situations that are detrimental to their health, but if earlier posts are read it would be seen that tearing down camp at 9, 10, or 11 o'clock at night and trying to find another campground is just not a reasonable request.

It is a lot easier to show a little consideration, as you have done in keeping a hot fire. It is also nice to recognize that there are other people in the world that are not as fortunate as the other millions, and the less fortunate suffer.

Thanks to all those who have consideration. This topic will never end. I will.

A question Wayne, please. Why should I have to give up my lifestyle because of others bad luck. The medical fact is that MOST COPD comes from smoking...a choice they made. Certainly not all, but....

Frankly there more than enough campgrounds that prohibit fires for their selection without messing up my experience.

I have COPD from oil well fires in the middle east, the first Gulf War, 34 years and nine military shooting events...most they will not call wars but the shooting is real as you know. I take my meds, grab my inhaler and oxygen machine and build my fire. I have 2 Silver Stars, 5 purple hearts, ashesma and COPD. I just want my campfire and to do my thing....

I truly fell for others, but life can be harsh...

I think we need to stop trying to guilt people into giving up "their" rights.

[jamesrxx951]

Originally Posted by Clefor

Sure would be nice if they did ban them. They stink.

So does porta potties.