Campfires: Love them or hate them?
For some, campfires mean bedtime stories, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. For my wife and me, on a recent overnight at Lathrop State Park near Walsenburg CO, campfire smoke meant sneezing, itchy ey...
Forum Discussion
d3500ram wrote:
When I am ready to retire, I will roll out the large heat sink log and let the coals start to burn down. If there is a threat of a cold front and wind potential I will dump some gray water to tame it down... otherwise the few coals and embers will be left to burn out.
This is an extremely unsafe practice. 'Dumping some water on it' or 'leaving the embers to burn out'.
Two years ago we were in Jemez Falls national forest campground in New Mexico over Memorial weekend. On Monday all but a few campers left. I was taking a walk, saw smoke in the distance and as I approached fire was traveling fast on the forest floor of pine needles from a campfire that was not fully extinguished. I went to the host who was away. I called 911 and very quickly fire trucks arrived. We and a few others were told to leave. Later on the news I heard it took 6 hours to put out that fire and the campground was closed indefinitely.
Dumping 'some' water does NOT put it out. Dumping a LOT of water and raking it out so you can put your hand in it means it's out. When you retire at night or leave your campsite for even a short time, that fire should be put completely out. Please be responsible. Our forests are precious. Thanks.
