I haven’t camped during a fire ban for 20 years. I just finished a week in Quetico which also has a fire ban. I love that place so much that it had no affect on my anticipation of going.

I love a campfire. And I cook a bad (good) meal over one. This year, however, I brought two small butane stoves for cooking. Other than the fact that you can’t cook eggs without burning the bottom, I enjoyed the easy prep of not having to gather wood, start a fire, get all smokey, and clean up the pots afterwards.

When cooking was done it was some easy cleaning and that’s it. I went into the tent at night not smelling like raw, eye burning pine soot.

A note to campers going in- Get rid of the meals that require extensive fancy hot cooking. Bring adequate stove surfaces to cook your meals if in a larger group. One tiny butane stove ain’t going to work so well.

It’s liberating to not have to start a fire every day. More time for EVERYTHING else that’s more fun than smelling like soooty stinky smoke.
Tom

This is going to be me today. Last time I had to bring a stove was in the 90s. Not having to find and process fire wood is going to save me so much time and then cooking will be much quicker too as I don't need to get the coals and all that.

Besides saving time I also saw Tuscarora's comment on the bugs so I am bringing a bug screen house thing and will just place it over the fire grate and still use that as a central location just bug free now.

Good perspective. I be in for 6-7 days coming up. I am fine with no fire just made for a little more math calculating fuel needs.

I almost never start a fire and cook with a Butane stove. However my co-worker started a smudge fire on our previous trip through the lady chain to stave off the bugs. That really helped and reminded of my days living on the Rez.

I came to the same conclusions during a fire ban many years ago and made those changes. I rarely ever have a fire, especially if solo, and really just boil water with a canister stove. So simple, so quick, so easy, so clean, so worry free . . .

Most of my trips over the past 10 years have been solo, and when alone, I almost never start a fire. And while I do enjoy a camp fire, I agree that the work that goes into creating one-especially when alone-is not worth it.

I love having a campfire at the end of the day into the evening.

Never been a fire guy. I'm not good at making them, nor am I good cooking on them. I admire those who use fires exclusively (or most of the time) for cooking. I/we use white gas stoves, just as when I first started tripping over 40 years ago. I used a Peak 1 and a Svea 123R. Those were the days.

To bobbernumber3's point about a fire at the end of the day: totally get it. I think a lot of trippers share that sentiment with you.

Mike

Just got back Tumblehome. I also noticed almost too much free time. No finding and processing wood to cook over and no waiting until it was hot enough to cook over and tending to keep the heat, etc. Then no smoke smell either like you said. It was quite enjoyable but I think I prefer the busy work of maintaining a fire on trips. Except coffee... it was very nice being able to wake up and have almost instant coffee.

boonie: "I came to the same conclusions during a fire ban many years ago and made those changes. I rarely ever have a fire, especially if solo, and really just boil water with a canister stove. So simple, so quick, so easy, so clean, so worry free . . . "

+1

At the pro-fire guys/gals.

I love a campfire too. Humans have been staring into a fire for cooking, heat, light for thousands of years.

I have noticed that I can now separate the requirement of a fire from the enjoyment of one. I'll have an evening fire for relaxing but use the stove more now for quick meals.

Tom

tumblehome: "At the pro-fire guys/gals.


I love a campfire too. Humans have been staring into a fire for cooking, heat, light for thousands of years.


I have noticed that I can now separate the requirement of a fire from the enjoyment of one. I'll have an evening fire for relaxing but use the stove more now for quick meals.


Tom"

It is tempting to bring a stove I do agree lol

As a person who typically doesn't sleep well, whether camping or not, I use campfire building as a means to stay awake long enough that I have a chance to stay in my tent past 4 a.m. Normally, it's dark out and I fall asleep fast but not for long.