Community Forums

chuckbear · 09-30-2017, 11:16 AM

It has been wonderful traveling here in the west. The fire dangers are high and no burning is allowed in the campgrounds. We can open our windows and let the fresh air flow through our coach any time day or night. But traveling to the east, it is necessary for us to remain closed up tight with the air conditioners running 24/7, whether we need them or not. Other campers pull in with a pickup loaded with firewood and commence to burn it 24/7. Since our coaches are not air tight, we still need to deal with the smell of smoke day and night. Going to another campground isn't an option since the same thing will happen there. The temps outside can be in the 80's or even 90's and the campfires go all day and all night. At time the smoke in the campgrounds is so thick it is difficult to breath. So I'm hoping someone can explain the need to be burning something the entire time your camping. It seems the campgrounds encourage this since all sell or provide firewood. Chuck

89sandman · 09-30-2017, 11:24 AM

We don't burn fires either. Not a fan of the smell of smoke all day or the ashes all over my stuff. I can see wanting to burn one for a couple hours at dark to sit around but burning all day long seems silly. Luckily where we camp the sites are spaced out enough that it's not like I'm 10 feet away.

chuckbear · 09-30-2017, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 89sandman

We don't burn fires either. Not a fan of the smell of smoke all day or the ashes all over my stuff. I can see wanting to burn one for a couple hours at dark to sit around but burning all day long seems silly. Luckily where we camp the sites are spaced out enough that it's not like I'm 10 feet away.

If you have dozens or more campfires all going at the same time and all around you, it really doesn't matter how well the campsites are spaced. Chuck

hohenwald48 · 09-30-2017, 12:56 PM

I really enjoy it when they dump the garbage on the fire too.

I have a propane fire pit and I love those burn bans.

twinboat · 09-30-2017, 02:44 PM

There is no wood out in the desert, that's why they don't have camp fires.

Superslif · 09-30-2017, 03:00 PM

90% of the time we camp at state or national forest campgrounds where there is a lot of space between campsites compared to the average private campgrounds. About 50% of the time I'll start a fire for cooking / grilling burgers or dogs over the fire. Sit around the fire usually to 9-10.

I think, just my opinion, it's a guy thing having the biggest, baddest, hottest fire. A truck full of wood...for the weekend. My brother was one of those: 4' pile of wood for a weekend, Fire 5' high. Add 10 pieces of wood at a time. See how cherry red we could make the fire ring.

Fiesta48 · 09-30-2017, 03:44 PM

If it's blow away from me I don't care. I've moved to a different space before. I've seen rangers tell people put out fires when smoke lingers in no wind. Talk to hosts/rangers if it's blowing your way. Close neighbors once left a smoldering fire, my hose and nozzle put it out.

Dennis in Fl · 09-30-2017, 08:40 PM

There's a big difference in camping and RVing. Some have yet to figure that out. I like a campfire on a cool or chilly evening for about two hours. Maybe during the day if it's cold. Maybe. I think some of those huge campfires are testosterone fueled. Just my opinion.

Gary RVRoamer · 10-01-2017, 08:09 AM

I personally enjoy a campfire, but never felt the need to have one burning all day long. But debating why some people enjoy a thing while others do not is pointless - we all have our likes and dislikes and the opinions of others aren't going to change them.

What I don't understand is why you are having difficulty finding campgrounds where fires are not so common. Must be the style of campground you prefer, e.g. a more rustic, woodsy type? Perhaps state parks? We are Easterners who have Rved for 20+ years all over the US and Canada, but mostly in the eastern US. We see some campgrounds that don't even have fire pits, and many others where campfires are relatively rare. I think if you check around for "RV parks" rather than "campgrounds", you can better satisfy your desire for a smokeless RVing experience.

Old Scout · 10-01-2017, 08:28 AM

Many if not most "campers" are weekend warriors who, unlike us full- or part-timer RVers, have to go back to work on Monday. For them, a campfire is part of their weekend escape--good on them....

Falcon190 · 10-01-2017, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckbear

It has been wonderful traveling here in the west. The fire dangers are high and no burning is allowed in the campgrounds. We can open our windows and let the fresh air flow through our coach any time day or night. But traveling to the east, it is necessary for us to remain closed up tight with the air conditioners running 24/7, whether we need them or not. Other campers pull in with a pickup loaded with firewood and commence to burn it 24/7. Since our coaches are not air tight, we still need to deal with the smell of smoke day and night. Going to another campground isn't an option since the same thing will happen there. The temps outside can be in the 80's or even 90's and the campfires go all day and all night. At time the smoke in the campgrounds is so thick it is difficult to breath. So I'm hoping someone can explain the need to be burning something the entire time your camping. It seems the campgrounds encourage this since all sell or provide firewood. Chuck

Personally, I'm not a fan of campfires and so I can't answer your question as to why someone would have a 24 hour campfire, but I can give you an idea of life in the PNW.

We had to get out of Portland because the smoke was so bad from the nearby Eagle Creek fire that it was hard to breath. The fire was so destructive that I-84 eastbound in the Columbia River Gorge was closed for weeks. The fire was caused by a 15 yr old playing with fireworks.

We just got back from three weeks in central Washington State, around Leavenworth and Cle Elum, where there is a total ban on campfires. Some national forests are completely closed until December.

Beautiful scenery, cool temperatures, and most of the PNW fires are now contained. But there's still a ban on open fires. Sounds like it might be your kind of place!

2003 Ultimate Freedom
2000 Jeep Wrangler

chuckbear · 10-01-2017, 10:07 AM

I'm not sure why I should limit the types of campgrounds I should use because of the lack of consideration of others. I prefer to avoid the "resort" campgrounds because they are much more expensive and we don't use the extra amenities. We prefer to enjoy and experience the natural surroundings and are often out seeing the sights. Traveling through Washington, Oregon and California, we have experienced first hand all the dense smoke from the many forest fires. We have had to cancel reservations because of the smoke problems. Some of the most beautiful and memorable campgrounds have been state, local and national parks. So Gary, I shouldn't use those so that campers can burn firewood all day and night? Chuck

timetogo · 10-01-2017, 10:16 AM

We don't like smoke and enjoy spaces without fire rings. Too many burners that don't know how to manage a fire

TCollins · 10-01-2017, 10:24 AM

DW and I would have a small campfire in the evenings when we were younger. Now, we don't bother unless the grandkids are along. Too much bother hauling the wood and most campgrounds now have a ban on bringing wood into their campground.

On one of our recent outings I was amazed at the number of people who were using the fires for cooking so they kept the fire going 24 hrs. per day. Not big fires but just enough so they could get it going at the next meal and a little bigger fire in the evening. Also noticed that this was almost exclusively a tent camper phenom.

TC