Fires banned at this weekends camporee

[kahits]

I was just notified that we can not have any, open, fires at our district camporee. The organizer is frantic, so I thought I would post the question here. The theme of the event is a Mountain man rendezvous (hawk and knife throwing, archery, caber & stone tossing, black powder, first aid, timber cutting, etc.). We were planning on having two campfires for the after dark, tapout, and a fire starting event with flint & steel. Anybody have an idea of how to substitute for a fire for tapout, and another event that could replace fire starting? Don't you love these last minute changes... I supposed alternatives should have been thought of, with this possibility.

[Oak Tree]

Can you have a pile of glowing charcoal? Some fire bans allow for this, some don't. Also, sometimes when fire bans say no 'open fires', they still allow for fires in an enclosed container, like a cooking grill or a home fire pit. You could use one of those for the campfire.

 

Another alternative is to have a fake campfire made with orange crepe paper, sticks, and a light source. (And even a blower, if you're creative enough.)

 

There must be all kinds of events you could put in place of a fire-starting contest. First, I'd want to confirm that there's no way to hold the contest. As above, there might be options. But if not...how about an arrow-making station? Have the kids carve their own arrowheads. I don't know if that would work or not - but really, it should be easy enough to look down the list and find a new station to add. How about a timber-pull? See how long it takes to drag a downed tree from the stump to the homestead. Erect a teepee. Assemble a small log cabin wall. Tan a squirrel hide (ok, it might be hard to come up with the supplies for that on short notice.)

[OldGrayOwl]

What you can do, for a professional look, is to contact your local theatre lighting supply company, and tell them what you want. They have very realistic looking stage safe fires for rent. (yes, I know, you can do stuff with a light bulb and some crepe paper, etc., but why do it halfway?)

 

Tell them that you want the artificial campfire effect, how large you want it to be, etc.

 

They should be able to help you.

 

I have used a company on the East coast for just that effect, and it looks great.

 

 

If you want to build a smaller version for the future, check out this link:

 

http://www.themebuilders.com/effects/howtobuildaartificialfire.html

 

To purchase already made:

 

http://www.luxa.co.uk/intro_page.htm

 

http://www.djdistributors.com/torch%20lights.html

 

http://www.littlebrightlights.com/site/1435548/product/V-0109

 

or the dogpile link so you can search for yourself:

 

http://tinyurl.com/4lkngc

 

(Note: the above links are NOT in any way endorsements for the sites, just some ideas where you can go for info).

 

OGO(This message has been edited by OldGrayOwl)

[CalicoPenn]

You could modify the flint and steel event. Instead of timing the Patrol on how fast it gets a fire started (and a string burnt through??), time them on how fast it takes them to prepare and get the tinder started. It could be done over an open metal pan of some kind.

 

Here's what I would do - provide each patrol with an equal length and width of rope - hemp rope - not cotton or polyester. Maybe 12". The patrol should cut the rope into tinder size (like perhaps 3 lengths at 4" - but let them make that choice) then pull it apart to make their tinder. Then use the flint and steel to get the tinder started - time ends when the tinder is fully consumed.

 

As for the OA Campfire, I'd suggest using short torches set where the campfire(s)would be - how about 3 sets of 3 torches, set up in a triangular pattern (both the individual sets and the sets as whole). I'm thinking they should be no more than 1/2 the length of the regular torches (I'm presuming the Chapter uses torches to help guide folks in and create a ceremony area) and no less than 1/4 the length. That might work out well.

 

Calico

 

[John-in-KC]

To all: The first thing the organizer should do is discuss the exact limits of the ban with the area fire chief. If the fire danger rating is already "extreme", then we want to support mitigating any risk of a brushfire.

 

Long ago, I grew up in Los Angeles. I remember the Santa Susanna/San Gabriel/Santa Monica brushfire in the fall of 1970. We didn't do outdoor PE, the ash was falling so badly. With the expansion of the LA metro further into the mountains, the fires we've seen on TV in recent years only make matters worse; now it's not just rugged land, it's communities.

 

kahits, I'd move the tapout ceremony to noontime. There are American Indian traditions and ceremonies which happened in the full light of day as well as in the evening. While the Order models on the Lenni Lenape, IIRC the Chumash are the local Southern California indian. What of their traditions?

[Horizon]

For tapout:

 

Set up a crepe paper / blower fake fire - but do NOT turn it on.

 

Get your two best archers and put a glow stick on a pair of blunt arrows. When tapout starts, have them at the Right and Left of the area, and have them unmask the "burning" arrows and shoot them at a soft target behind your crepe paper fire. When the glow arrows cross the fire area, throw the power switch.

 

Any loss of "cool" factor by the lack of flames will be made up by the glowing arrows flying across the campsite.

[Eagledad]

This fairly common in Oklahoma. One popular campfire method is to use lanterns. We used three lanterns at my last Wood Badge Course set up in a triangle around the fire ring. You can come up with some really clever ways to display the lanterns, but it works really well for us.

 

As for the flint and steel, I would do what John suggest and learn the exact limitations in the restriction. You might be able to do it under a pavilion in big barrows or even off the ground in barbeque grills. There might be a building or shelter with a fireplace in your camp. We have them at our scout camps. That is a really cool event, so I would try and find a way to make it work.

 

We've been experiencing heavy winds in the state for the last month, so Im sure the scouts are still having to come up with cleaver ways to do a campfire.

 

Barry

 

[Guest OldGreyEagle]

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