View Full Version : What do fire rings do?
Out here the fire permit requires clearing all flammable material out to a 5 foot radius. Does a fire ring serve any purpose in regards to safety or helping the fire burn better?
StubbleJumper
11-07-2010, 14:55
In the boreal forest, if you are not careful the duff on the forest floor will start smouldering and you might not even realize. It can smoulder for several hours after you leave, particularly if a couple larger roots are present. Ultimately, you can end up with a serious forest fire.
A fire ring is safer because it is usually either burnt down to the mineral soil or dug down to the mineral soil, implying that there is a non-organic barrier between your fire and the duff.
I generally will not light a fire in the summer unless there's an established fire ring because it's too easy to make a mistake and get the duff on fire.
They kinda keep the embers contained. I think they mostly put them out there so people don't build fire rings all over the place ruining rocks.
johnnyblisters
11-07-2010, 15:17
I agree strongly with Luddite, centralized fire rings help to diminish the impact of those who choose to have a fire in the backcountry by concentration.
Unless you really need a fire for survival, why make one?
C Seeker
11-07-2010, 15:18
the fire ring keeps the embers contained and the 5 foot radius of flammable material is there to make sure nothing extra is caught on fire if the fire blows. It is all safety reasoning and should be followed as i'm not a fan of a forest fire.
GracefulRoll
11-07-2010, 15:43
Unless you really need a fire for survival, why make one?
It may have something to do with campfires being completely awesome, but that's just me. /less than serious reply
In the boreal forest, if you are not careful the duff on the forest floor will start smouldering and you might not even realize.
If that happens, then the first rule of clearing the site within 5 feet has not been obeyed.
They kinda keep the embers contained. I think they mostly put them out there so people don't build fire rings all over the place ruining rocks.
Do embers blow out of the bottom? I've only used fire rings, so I don't know. Any embers that do blow come out of the top and I haven't successfully built a fire ring tall enough to prevent that from happening. When the wind does start blowing, it's time for the fire to be put out.
What you're saying regarding lots of fire rings makes sense, but doesn't LNT promote dismantling the fire ring and restoring the site as much as possible?
If that happens, then the first rule of clearing the site within 5 feet has not been obeyed.
Do embers blow out of the bottom? I've only used fire rings, so I don't know. Any embers that do blow come out of the top and I haven't successfully built a fire ring tall enough to prevent that from happening. When the wind does start blowing, it's time for the fire to be put out.
What you're saying regarding lots of fire rings makes sense, but doesn't LNT promote dismantling the fire ring and restoring the site as much as possible?
Its kind of hard to leave no trace when you've sterilized the soil with a fire and thats why I think the metal pits are out there, to prevent 10 or 20 makeshift fire rings from being built. The metal fire rings and a stack of rocks around a fire will keep the fire and most of the embers contained.
Didn't Johnny Cash have a song about fire rings? I don't know... it was something like that :cool:
mister krabs
11-07-2010, 16:42
It may have something to do with campfires being completely awesome,
+1 :jump :jump
StubbleJumper
11-07-2010, 16:55
If that happens, then the first rule of clearing the site within 5 feet has not been obeyed.
Perhaps I wasn't clear. The soil can actually catch on fire underground if there is not a rock perimeter and the fire-ring has not been either dug down to the mineral soil or burned down the mineral soil during previous fires. These underground fires can smoulder for a very long time, particularly if roots catch on fire.
The problem with this is that you can start a fire, and you might legitimately believe it's completely extinguished and then hike away. Two days later, after some underground smouldering, the fire can re-ignite.
You gotta be very careful in the boreal forest unless its sopping wet.
What you're saying regarding lots of fire rings makes sense, but doesn't LNT promote dismantling the fire ring and restoring the site as much as possible?
If the area shows no impact other than a barely used fire ring, dismantling it can help prevent others from seeing the ring and camping there and turning it into a heavily impacted site.
If the area is already impacted, one central fire ring helps concentrate fire usage there instead of having lots of little fires spread around.
An established fire ring is like a trail or shelter. It concentrates usage instead of having it spread noticeably over a large area.
Pedaling Fool
11-07-2010, 17:40
It may have something to do with campfires being completely awesome, but that's just me. /less than serious reply
+1 :jump :jump
+1 more
As for LNT, the hell with the earth. If Mother Nature did not want "unnatural" fires, then she should not have created an animal with a brain capacity to figure out how to build a fire.:sun
BTW, Fire rings keep embers from easily blowing away. A single layer of rock really isn't good enough, you should build it up a little more or dig down into the ground a little. A pet peeve of mine is to clear out some of the ash from old fire pits so there's a little bit of a depression. (and for you "environmental friendlies" don't worry wood ash a lot of good stuff in it, (nutrients for plant life) just don't pile it up, disperse it.
As for LNT, the hell with the earth.
-1
Not a very good attitude.
GracefulRoll
11-07-2010, 19:27
-1
Not a very good attitude.
I guess that makes him about even. :p
Blissful
11-07-2010, 20:06
Fire rings are an eyesore on the trail, imo.
Wise Old Owl
11-07-2010, 20:22
I agree strongly with Luddite, centralized fire rings help to diminish the impact of those who choose to have a fire in the backcountry by concentration.
Unless you really need a fire for survival, why make one?
With a trail name like johnnyblisters... you have no pyromaniac tendencies?
Honest in the back country there are few fire rings, the real reason was to point out the approved location for a fire in a park to minimize impact and prevent nearby duff and leaves from catching sparks from gusts of wind.
Several years ago I was almost the last person pulling out of a park Sunday afternoon in Maryland and all the noobs had left multiple (about 10) fire rings unattended and flaming, so it's quite a problem.
Toolshed
11-07-2010, 21:16
Fire rings don't bother me in the least, but then again neither do towers, power lines, airplanes, boats, dogs, guns, and the like. Live and let live. Some folks on here get their panties in a wad over anything that intrudes into their nature.
In fact, I am actually glad someone took the time to make a firering rather than an open fire.
I'm still not really convinced about the embers. A tall rock wall around the fire seems to increase vertical air flow and send embers shooting out. That's really what got me thinking. Maybe some time I'll go out to the beach on a calm night and try a side-by-side fire comparison.
Sarcasm the elf
11-07-2010, 21:41
Fire rings don't bother me in the least, but then again neither do towers, power lines, airplanes, boats, dogs, guns, and the like. Live and let live. Some folks on here get their panties in a wad over anything that intrudes into their nature.
In fact, I am actually glad someone took the time to make a firering rather than an open fire.
Seconded! :)
WOW!! I thought you counted fire rings to tell how old they are, or was that trees, no matter I like both ideas.
Johnny Cash fell into a burning ring of fire but not a fire ring.
pyroman53
11-08-2010, 11:35
All this talk about fires, fire rings, and smoldering duff...I gotta go take a cold shower!!
Blissful
11-08-2010, 12:13
Fire rings don't bother me in the least, but then again neither do towers, power lines, airplanes, boats, dogs, guns, and the like. Live and let live. Some folks on here get their panties in a wad over anything that intrudes into their nature.
In fact, I am actually glad someone took the time to make a firering rather than an open fire.
Sorry but the ones on the Roan Highlands on the balds were an eyesore (the hikers there had just made a new one that day I was there to join the rest). As well as seeing them every few hundred yards in places, with whole trees burned out and black stuff everywhere and many loaded with garbage. The only thing they helped me do was identify campsites. But I saw them everywhere in the south.