Campfires - We need to get better

[Bushie]

The Rural Fire Service and National Parks firefighters and five aircraft yesterday fought to contain a fire in the Abercrombie National
Park. There were other fires north of Bathurst and south of Wattle Flat. Chifley and Lithgow RFS Manager Tom Shirt says most of the
fires appear to have been started by camp fires.
Cut and paste straight from a media monitor service.
Not saying this was actually the cause, but I suspect we have all seen abandoned campfires that haven't been extinguished properly, Fire investigation will no doubt determine the final cause.

Martyn

[Homestar]

It happens all the time - people just leave their fires burning when they leave the campsite - either for the day, or when they move on. I can't fathom the thinking behind this. It takes me an hour to put a campfire out properly - put the fire out, then I keep going back every 10 or 15 minutes and turn over the ashes, then wet down any hot spots - I do this until you can stick your hand in the fire.

Probably my CFA training about blacking out properly...:)

I think a lot of people just don't recognise it as being dangerous - particularly if there is no wind when they leave, they just think it will burn itself out without issue. Not sure what the answer is - ban dumb people from buying matches...?:angel:

[Mick_Marsh]

Not sure what the answer is - ban dumb people from buying matches...?:angel:
How are they going to light their fireworks?

[weeds]

the ratio of the number of camping fires lit compared to the number of camping fires getting out of control must be small.......agree it shouldn't happen at all and they do cause a hell of a lot of damage and use up a lot of resources

keep in mind they did mention 'appear'

i'm just trying to think of the amount of camp fires i have left un-attended, i ran out of fingers and toes very quickly......between xmas and new year is the most recent, it was hot, dryish and a slight breeze, needed coals for three camp ovens.........ummm

[bee utey]

How are they going to light their fireworks?
Show them how to make fire by rubbing two sticks (of dynamite) together...

[Basil135]

I think that every year 7 child, and every adult should read "February Dragon" by Colin Thiele. Yes, it is old now, older than me, but I can still remember that story.

And it is about a campfire that they thought they had put out, but it wasn't, and the consequences. :eek:

[The Cone of Silence]

I went camping up in the Lithgow area last weekend with some friends and went to a nice spot we'd camped at before, on the upper reaches of the Cox's River....one of the guys wanted to propose to his girfriend after a day of off-roading in his new GXL so 10 of us went up to make it a special weekend.

Someone was already there with 4 vehicles in our desired spot so we camped a couple of hundred metres away at another clearing we found.

Friday saw a total fire ban in the area so we went to the pub in Rydal for dinner and then came back....our neighbours had no fire either - good to see.

The following day there was no fire ban and our neighbours left after breakfast. I noticed there was still smoke coming from their fire so I took the shovel and went to investigate.

Empty tins of beans, emptry beer bottles, broken glass, a loaf of bread, all sorts of rubbish that they could have easily taken home with them...and 3 very large logs all thrown on the fire to burn all day....they hadn't even made an attempt to put it out.

Disgusting. They give everyone a bad name, it really irked me, particularly as they had about 8 kids with them who would all have learned that it's acceptable behaviour.

Unbelievably, a different group came down to set-up camp there on the Saturday afternoon. Loud music, shouting and letting off fireworks into the wee hours.

Why is it that some people believe that rules do not apply to them....or that someone else should clear up after them?

[Lotz-A-Landies]

We can't even get people to stub out their cigarette butts, how can we expect them to put the campfire out properly. :mad:

What about someone fixing the problem of fires being started by lightning? Oops I didn't say that. ;)

[JohnF]

I though that "Total Fire ban" also means No Camp fires. Late at night, when it was very windy and Bushfire danger rating was very high, during a total Fire ban in our area [this was in Tweed shire, I live in a different Shire/Fire area so could not be sure the Total Fire ban went into another shire/fire area] I drove past a waterfall, near Mount Burrell on the Tweed River. There was a raging Campfire with flames 5 feet or so high near that Waterfall. As soon as I got home, 15 minutes away, I called it in to triple O, knowing the local Kungur RFS brigade Captain would probably talk to them, and warn them. I was alone and so did not warn them myself as they were drunk.

But it was tinderbox conditions, very windy and a blown spark could have started a bad fire. Some people have no common Sense.

[weeds]

The following day there was no fire ban and our neighbours left after breakfast. I noticed there was still smoke coming from their fire so I took the shovel and went to investigate.

Empty tins of beans, emptry beer bottles, broken glass, a loaf of bread, all sorts of rubbish that they could have easily taken home with them...and 3 very large logs all thrown on the fire to burn all day....they hadn't even made an attempt to put it out.

Disgusting. They give everyone a bad name, it really irked me, particularly as they had about 8 kids with them who would all have learned that it's acceptable behaviour.


leaving rubbish behind really gives me the ****s..........

camped on a mates cattle property over xmas and got the kids to do an emu bob before we leave.......much to the surprise of my mate the farmer

[Lotz-A-Landies]

<snip>
But it was tinderbox conditions, very windy and a blown spark could have started a bad fire. Some people have no common Sense.Some people just don't care. :mad:

Their houses are not in danger, they don't have to go out and risk life and limb fighting fires and most likely if a fire starts they will be out of there quick smart without informing anyone.

[bob10]

People just don't understand. It has been reported that the high winds in our area, carried embers from the Stradbroke Island fire and started spot fires on the Sunshine coast. I can only assume that report is correct. Bob

[jimr1]

Some years ago I was with the wife and father in law , and we met up with some friends in the Vic. high country . There was a long thunder storm lasting many hours , one night . Followed by a big bush fire , now this was some way in the distance , but of course we could see the smoke . Now when I got back to Melbourne I read in the Herald Sun that It had been coursed by campers leaving a camp fire . I phoned the Paper and asked to speak to the gerno who the article , I was told they weren't in . Any way I said I had just come from that area , and the lightning storm was not mentioned a that could have also been the course , and did anyone think to contact the RAAF. base in sale to see what the weather conditions were over that weekend . I was told my message would be passed on .

[SPROVER]

I recently just come back from QLD and went for a day trip to Sundown National Park while I was there. I was with another guy who had an 80 series Landcruiser who was showing me a couple of challenging tracks. We got to a point where we had to cross a river and decided to stop for lunch.

There was a younger bloke and his missus who were packing up there campsite and getting ready to leave. We could see them from the other side of the river while we were eating and the kids were playing in the water. The temp was about 33 degrees so it was quite hot in there. Anyway the bloke had packed up and left in his chopped down Td42 GQ tray back :angel:.

We could see that he had not put his fire out and it was going pretty good. Could not believe that they had left it going. We went back across to put it out only to find it had a large log in it and 2 butane cans in there as well :eek::eek: :censored: I didn't want to get to close to it with the butane cans in it but we managed to put it out. Anyway the other guy who I was 4wdriving with, his missus remembered the number plate of it as we went by :D

When she got back his details were given to the rangers and apparently he was going to be getting a visit from the police :D. I just couldn't believe someone would be dumb enough to leave a fire like that going. Especially when it was so hot and dry in there. It made me think, maybe he had another motive behind it. Why would someone leave a fire going with butane cans in it and then drive off????

[newhue]

Here is another side to peoples stupidity.
I was locked out of Mt Kaputar the other day because of a fire ban. I was hoping to go high for a few days for some heat wave relief, but parks don't trust people to do the right thing.
I can't see why anyone requires a fire in summer really. Small boutique one for cooking perhaps, but certainly not to sit around. People don't leave their car running when the walk off, so why leave a fire.

I think people really need to have a good look at themselves otherwise the outdoors will be closed for business. Burning glass, cans, old camping chairs or whatever crap people think burns only gives land holders all the fodder required to close things.

[Hymie]

Just last Saturday, the 5th, I called into Little O'Tooles for lunch as a pair of 4X4's who had obviously just packed up camp drove out.
We had to back up the entrance track to let them out so we could get into the site, no biggie, but when we pulled in it was a pigsty.
Empty cans and bottles in the fire they had left going, half a pack of sausages thrown in and burning away,bread, onions just crap everywhere.
It's not even 12 months since the place was burnt out by the Aberfeldy fire, how hard to you have to be on people before they learn their lesson?
No, I didn't get their Regos either unfortunately.

[nugge t]

Can honestly say I have never come across a campfire left burning.

Have certainly seen plenty used as a rubbish tip with the resultant broken glass and half burnt cans etc etc which really p+++++ me off.

Have also seen people with fires when there is a total fire ban. On an extremely hot, windy day on Double Island I complained to the Ranger about it only to be told it wasn't his job! Not sure who the bigger dills were...those with the fires or the ranger.

Just got back from beach camping on Fraser where fires are banned in those camp areas. As much as I love a fire when camping, I must admit the camp sites were much cleaner for NOT having every occupant start their fire in a new postion.

[newhue]

Sad ins't it. I don't think it's about getting hard on users. Too hard to police and affects the majority too much. We have enough of that policing already.
It's about getting them to respect what they have, why they went there, and mum is not there to pick up after them anymore.

Fires and how to use them are usually taught to kids by adults. Maybe adults should make a BIG fuss over extinguishing the fire. I know I don't,, but maybe I will start.

I'll write another letter to 4x4action also. If they are as big as they say they are, then most of their readership will probably find an article on burning down the tracks helpful.

[weeds]

I can't see why anyone requires a fire in summer really. Small boutique one for cooking perhaps, but certainly not to sit around. People don't leave their car running when the walk off, so why leave a fire.


yeah avoid sitting around a fire in summer........started one on my last trip to build enough coals for three camp ovens, chairs and tables were set up 20 meters away. I was guilty of leaving it burn though.....went of to help out around the farm



Just got back from beach camping on Fraser where fires are banned in those camp areas. As much as I love a fire when camping, I must admit the camp sites were much cleaner for NOT having every occupant start their fire in a new postion.

agree, camping at double island point camping means there is coals spread though the entire areas.....you cannot walk without stepping on an old piece of coal

[copba]

As much as I love a fire when camping, I must admit the camp sites were much cleaner for NOT having every occupant start their fire in a new postion.

I stopped at Lake Tinaroo for lunch recently, middle of the week so nice and quiet, and in one of the day use areas the grass leading down to the dam had about 50 divots where people had had fires, each filled with 1/2 burned logs, and rubbish etc. And they were all within 5, or 6 metres of each other! It looked like a moon scape.
This was in a day use area, not camping. Who needs a camp fire for a picnic?

[goingbush]

People just don't understand. It has been reported that the high winds in our area, carried embers from the Stradbroke Island fire and started spot fires on the Sunshine coast. I can only assume that report is correct. Bob

its not that people don't understand, they just don't care !!!

[herrBlick]

Ok I know it's hard but there is no need for a giant fire that makes a god awful mess and a hi risk fire. I have found the snow peak fire a great invention. Fuel efficient (one or two logs at a time ) great for cooking and extinguishing
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mqekzffbEP8