Recently I attended a Boy Scout Leader Roundtable meeting where they held a Pressurized Fuel Training session. The focus of this training was to teach leaders what they should be teaching boy scouts about safety rules for using primarily cooking stoves, but also lanterns and heaters that use propane or liquid fuels under pressure. The point was not at all to teach how to use these devices, but was purely about safety.
The point of this article is not to discuss the specifics of the safety rules. I'm sure you can find them elsewhere on-line, and frankly a lot of it was common sense (like reading the manual that came with the device you are using and following their instructions). The point of this article is to offer answers to the following questions that came up in my mind during this training: 1) If there are so many safety issues with pressurized fuel, why use it? and 2) What are the alternatives?
The answer to the first question has to do with the BSA and other organizations adopting the Leave No Trace philosophy. I won't go into all the details on this either, but suffice to say that Leave No Trace is an environmentalist movement which among other things discourages the use (or over-use) of wood found in the wild for campfires or for building camp furniture, etc.
This is somewhat at odds with the old tradition of scouting which is closely linked with the woodcraft movement of the early 20th century. This oft misunderstood social movement heartily encouraged people to get out of the over-crowded cities and re-discover the joys of primitive outdoor living. The term "woodcraft" not only referred to the fact that camping, hunting, and fishing activities were often conducted in the woods, but it also referred to the skills required for survival in the woods with a bare minimum of modern equipment. Such survival skills included the ability to start a fire without matches and the ability to build shelters in the wild. Naturally, it wasn't enough to just know about these skills; they required some practice, and some people over time came to feel that the practice of these skills was unnecessarily destructive.
Leave No Trace presents us with new problems. First, unlike wood found in the wild, pressurized fuel and the devices that use it are not free. Many people are reluctant to buy something like this that they would only use once or twice a year. Then there is the safety issue. Even when handled properly, these devices sometimes malfunction. And last but not least, people simply enjoy gathering around a campfire to tell stories, roast marshmallows, etc.
So, what about the alternatives? For lanterns, there are very good battery-powered models. There are even models with remote controls and night lights. These are plenty bright enough (remember that even a dim light seems bright when you are in the woods at night), don't make any noise, and are perfectly safe to leave unattended or to give to a child.
For cooking, match-light charcoal works quite well. This does not require any special skills. You can bring along a small portable grill or use whatever fire pit or grill is provided by the park. Charcoal is probably better than wood for dutch oven cooking, and definitely better than pressurized fuel, because some dutch oven recipes require coals to be placed on top.
For campfires and cooking over wood, first and foremost you need to know and obey the rules of the park you are staying in. If you decide to use wood, you can use less wood by simply building smaller fires. The old-time woodcrafters were fond of pointing out the wisdom of the Indians who would build a small fire and gather in closer to it while white men would waste materials by building a big fire that was so hot they'd have to back away from it.
For staying warm at night, throw on an extra blanket or buy a sleeping bag that is rated for lower temperatures. I recently read about a family that had some kind of heater in their tent and were found dead the next morning due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Is getting a better night's sleep worth that kind of risk?
I'm not saying I won't use pressurized fuel, but I don't think people should feel obligated to use it due to environmental concerns if they are uncomfortable with the safety issues or just like cooking on an old-fashioned campfire while observing park rules.
The author, Greg Bonney, is the owner of Bonney Information and E-Commerce and founder of Scoutcamping.com (http://www.scoutcamping.com).
Copyright © 2005 Bonney Information and E-Commerce.
Up to now the preponderant view held by many historians... Read More
Are your kids begging you to take them camping, but... Read More
An African honeymoon safari is the perfect way to celebrate... Read More
Thousands of golfers flock to the Carolinas each spring and... Read More
Ask about perfect wildlife destinations and a Tanzania safari will... Read More
My favorite outdoor related quote comes from John Muir, the... Read More
Paul Scott Mower once said, "There is nothing like walking... Read More
Which is the best African safari company for my safari... Read More
White Water on the Comal river in Central Texas is... Read More
The call of the wild can be seductive. The exquisite... Read More
An inflatable boat trailer is needed if the user has... Read More
Today Bookpleasures and Sketchandtravel are pleased to have as our... Read More
Hello Again,Today we will be talking about meal planning. Meals... Read More
Have you ever gone solo backpacking? If you have, you'll... Read More
"The good news is that there is no reason to... Read More
The Udzungwa Mountains National park was created primarily for the... Read More
A river cruise in Bangkok gives an insight to the... Read More
I've been traveling and writing about places I believe others... Read More
Of course you know about Southern California's premier attraction, Disneyland... Read More
Barnegat Light, NJ is the home to "Old Barney" a... Read More
Are walking sticks longer than trekking poles? What about hiking... Read More
Hawaii snorkeling is a fun activity available to almost any... Read More
1st day : Airport / Amman, O/N Our representative will... Read More
Malaria is endemic to most of the areas in Africa... Read More
WHAT TO HUNT AND WHERE: Alaska is a hunter's paradise.... Read More
New experiences make me nervous, and I assume that holds... Read More
Six different islands in Hawaii are open to tourism. Most... Read More
The Kuan Yin Shrine in Bangkok is in an old... Read More
Spain: sun, sea, sand and Spanish... discover us! Spain, a... Read More
Live your golfing dreams on an Ireland golf vacation.The K... Read More
The Wandle offered wonderful trout fishing up to the latter... Read More
Do you think the only thing to do in Las... Read More
Camping for fun is a great way to enjoy the... Read More
Back from our family's vacation to Costa Rica, I am... Read More
Tanzania's natural endowment as a wildlife safari destination is unrivalled.... Read More
Of course you know about Southern California's premier attraction, Disneyland... Read More
It was the end of my first year as a... Read More
Sun, Sand and Surf ? an apt description for Goa?... Read More
WHAT TO FISH AND WHERE: Alaska offers some of the... Read More
San Diego offers a bevy of interesting hikes. With the... Read More
Inflatable boats are made from flexible material, usually rubber, canvas,... Read More
An African honeymoon safari is the perfect way to celebrate... Read More
If you you find yourself saying "Hey, that's a good... Read More
Mystic Seaport celebrates the seafaring past of New England. Known... Read More
How many of you take the time to just relax... Read More
SAFE WALKING TREKKING OUTDOORSIf you are contemplating a long distance... Read More
Camping is an excellent way to explore and experience the... Read More
Barnegat Light, NJ is the home to "Old Barney" a... Read More
Santa Cruz Church, the church of the holy cross, was... Read More
Zambia is Africa's best kept secret as far as safaris... Read More
|