Tents and campfires?

[joshua1]

This year I have the honor of co-chairing our district Klondike Derby. One of the less advertised events will be a safety check of the Troops campsites. One of the items we want to look for is, are the tents a safe distance from the fire ring. I know this is going to be subject to different situations, but I believe I have read, in a BSA publication, a recommended distance. Does any one know where I may have seen this? Thanks in advance.....

[Mike Long]

In order to be allowed to use fire a Scout must earn a Fireman Chit and have it on his person. The rules for fire use are printed on the back of the card and are also in the Scout Handbook.

 

The Scout needs to clear a 10 foot circle around the fire. As far as how close a tent can be I'm not sure that there is a solid number one can give you. Sparks can fly a long way and I won't allow the fire ring to be near the tents. My best answer is as far as possible.

[eisely]

In most circumstances, ten feet should be the minimum, and further is better. In my mind, there is one exception to this general rule.

 

Occasionally it may be necessary to stay put in a camp site because of adverse weather. I once built a very small fire under cover of a tarp in a downpour to provide some heat for drying clothes. As long as it is raining, there is little risk of a spark starting an unwanted fire. Obviously, real judgment has to be used as to the feasibility, desirability, and necessity of a fire under these conditions.

[ktune]

Another thing to consider - if you actually had a tent fire, how would you put it out? It has been recommended to me that every tent should have a pail or bucket of water and a pail or dirt/sand next to it just in case. And don't think that a gallon jug of water will do the trick, it should be an open pail or bucket. Water just won't come out of the jug quick enough.

[eisely]

The resident summer camps that I have attended where BSA wall tents were used as housing for campers provided small buckets of water and sand for this purpose. These tents were on platforms, and wall tents are much easier to get out of quickly than any fully enclosed tent that I can think of. Since these sites were in arid country, the water buckets served mainly to drown mice that sought out drinking water at night. They would fall in and could not escape. Every morning there were fresh deceased to dispose of. Another lesson in life (of some sort) for young minds.