LNT & Open Fires

[MaScout]

What do other troops do for this? In our area, we have a wide variety of "solutions" for this. Some of them are:

>Tractor tire rim (or smaller car or truck rim), legs welded on to get it off the ground, grate in the bottom for wood, flat piece of metal for "lid" or ground cover to catch the coals.

>Old washing machine tub set on cinder blocks. Grate off an old Weber grill fits on this perfectly for grilling or setting a pan or coffee pot. Air holes "built in", and totes your ashes away with you.

>Several more I've seen, but can't remember how to describe...

[andrewcanoe]

As a LNT trainer I would suggest either a mound fire(mound of soil on top of a tarp)or a firepan (could be a trash can lid or a feed pan from farm supply store)placed on 3-4 large,dry rocks. Even the established firepit can be used. Some more ideas can be found at LNT.org(This message has been edited by andrewcanoe)

[MaScout]

While I am very familiar with established fire pits, our troops often camp where there aren't established fire pits or even established camp grounds.

 

I am also quite familiar with mound fires. There are a lot of places we camp where this simply isn't practical NOR LNT. When we camp in someone's pasture, we would have to dig dirt to create the mound. Also, we are usually required to have "sides" around our fire and a top available if needed, due to fire issues. My personal opinion is that you still scar those rocks, too.

 

My question is more about the "less obvious" solutions and the "more creative". I'm not talking about backpacking, where you have to travel with your fire pit. I'm wondering more about camporees and car camping...

[MaScout]

Ooops! Brain lapse...if done correctly, the firepan on rocks does NOT scar the rocks! I know that...but not this morning, apparently! In regards to "mound fires", we can haul in our own materials to "mound", but generally are not allowed to build a mound with the materials around us, as we are in a pasture or similar. Just looking for more ideas...

[EagleInKY]

We've used half of a 55 gallon drum for a couple of years. We cut a couple of holes around the bottom for air circulation. A grill fits across the top pretty well. I've also used a dutch oven table. The fire isn't as big and it's about chest level, which seems kind of weird. But it's not too bad.

[dan]

We are like EagleInKY except we use 35 gallon barrel, with legs, the legs are screw in. The barrels are bolted together to store them with the legs stored in them along with the grates. There is a rack welded on the side where the legs are screwed in and that hold the barrels together for storage.

We do not have any holes in the barrels, this keeps all fire and ash within them. Sometimes they can be hard to start if there is no wind and we have wet wood. All wood to cook with is brought with us.

Each patrol has a barrel.

Dutch ovens fit in the 35 gallon barrel really well.

[Eamonn]

Back when I was a little fellow.

Them cold dark days before I ever heard about LNT.

We would carefully remove the turf if poss in one piece, roll it carefully, water it daily. Not stand on it!!

Then when we were done we would replace it and re-water it.

Of course this was when we used the 3 X B's to get rid of cans.

Burn'em

Bash'em

Bury'em

All over England there is a trail of burnt and bashed Baked Bean cans, that I emptied for my breakfast!!

Who knows? Just as the signs read "George Washington slept here." There might some day be signs about me and my Baked Beans!!

Eamonn

(I haven't had beans for breakfast since I was at BP House)

 

[SR540Beaver]

Come on E, you practiced leave no trace without realizing it. Your bean cans rusted into oblivion decades ago!

[CalicoPenn]

What about some of the commercial fire pits that are out there now - they started out for at home use but some are now designed to travel, complete with their own case (which keeps the rest of the equipment cleaner when traveling.

 

Calico