Fire Pans, NO MORE RINGS!

[dumolebob]

NWOODS - I have a pickup with two storage boxes in the bed so it is easy to top pack just about anything on top of those boxes no matter how dirty. A little rain and wind helps keep it "honest"!:wings:

As for the "leavings" per advice posted above I'll scatter/bury the ash and bring out the hard stuff!

If ya don't have a p/u bed I guess that's a different thing!

 

[john101477]

If ya don't have a p/u bed I guess that's a different thing!

unless it is garbage I would not worry about it Bob. a good fist size piece of dried pre burnt pieces of wood is great and will disappear with your new fire. if your using a fire pan that might be a diff story.

Also I kind of wanted to point out and remind some people to remember the areas they plan to camp or have a fire. I know here in northern cali we have some very hot summers and many areas including campgrounds restrict fires all together. Even someone who practices safe fire procedures can put many at risk by having a fire at all in the dry months coming up. As far as wood fires go not a great idea. one of the previous posters talked about a propane fire place and if your hell bent to have a fire in june july and august, and have room in your rig for it, this might be the best option. I happen to drive a 86 runner and if the family goes there is no room so I do without.

 

[rusty_tlc]

.....
Not so sure why people are hauling out the ashes, this is actually pretty stupid. ...

That kind of depends on the area. In forested areas I agree, in desert areas not so much. Wild fires are natural in both areas but the organic mass is vastly different. In a forested area the ash layer after a fire might be a couple of inches deep, in the desert you might not even be able to find any ash a couple of days after a fire. In effect burning a big box of oak in the desert and leaving the ash is like dumping a bag of fertilizer on your lawn all in one spot.

Also the soil in desert areas is pretty fragile, if you build a fire directly on the ground it can take many years for the natural organisms to re-populate.

In general we don't have camp fires at all anymore. The night sky is a much better show when you are far from city lights.

 

[BigJim]

I agree

If its still cold out I'll fire up my Propane Mr Heater.

We don't have fires much anymore because we like our privacy and camp very quietly so as not to scare off the local animals. Fires can be smelled for miles.

Many existing fire rings have a crap load of dangerous unburned stinky hidden trash that I have to dig out prior to making a fire.

I don't like smoldering fire smoke getting into my sleeping quarters at night.

I don't like using all my water putting the fire out and I am paranoid that the fire is not completley out.

I have all the wood I need from my own property so I am not required to scavenge locally.

If I am cold I put on a coat.

I guess I am getting old.

That kind of depends on the area. In forested areas I agree, in desert areas not so much. Wild fires are natural in both areas but the organic mass is vastly different. In a forested area the ash layer after a fire might be a couple of inches deep, in the desert you might not even be able to find any ash a couple of days after a fire. In effect burning a big box of oak in the desert and leaving the ash is like dumping a bag of fertilizer on your lawn all in one spot.

Also the soil in desert areas is pretty fragile, if you build a fire directly on the ground it can take many years for the natural organisms to re-populate.

In general we don't have camp fires at all anymore. The night sky is a much better show when you are far from city lights.

 

[oO_Rogue_Oo]

An old satellite dish makes a good fire pan with the help of a couple of lengths of pipe and a few fittings. It is also lighter than most commercial products and packs pretty small.

 

[SWbySWesty]

An old satellite dish makes a good fire pan with the help of a couple of lengths of pipe and a few fittings. It is also lighter than most commercial products and packs pretty small.

That's interesting! I have two on my roof that are useless. Might be useful

 

[Wyowanderer]

I use my weber charcoal bbq grill. It's an 18" portable model. I use it to cook (meat, mostly) and then for a firepan. No holes on the bottom, just on the sides.
It worked great on my SE Utah trip.We used it all night, and poured the ashes into the firepit that was at each CG.

 

[UNI]

1leglance Posted: I use a propane pit called a Fire Dancer and it is great, 20hr on a BBQ size tank, plenty of heat for 4-6, and it can even be used in areas with fire restrictions as it has no spark and no ground contact.

We also use a propane fire pit (Little Red Campfire). For the same reasons as "1leglance" posted.

 

[Fireman78]

:beer::campfire:

If its not illegal to have fire rings, then don't take matters into your own hands and go destroying/removing them. I more than agree that some areas have far too many fire rings, but that's why its the Wild West here in Utah... we can. Cookie cutter camp spots, picnic tables and tin-can tourists need not apply.

If you fear an area has too many fire pits, contact the local land manager be it BLM, FS or NPS, they will gladly ask for your help if they think an area needs dispersed site control. If its really that bad, condense 4-5 fire pits into a single one, but don't assume they need to be eliminated altogether.

Sorry, I've gotta ask since you don't list a location. Where about are you from?

See, Utah truly is different, we still have giant acreages of federal land that are open to cross-country travel, bon-fires, shooting, bombing, hunting, fishing and general desert debaucheries. It honestly scares travelers from out of state and sometimes they think they need to help reign us in... but that's not the case. Utah's citizens have been recreating since covered wagons and feet were the primary sources of travel, I think we've got it under control

I could not agree more. If I ever meet you at the Moab Brewery I will buy you a pint or two. My kinda guy.

 

[MagicMtnDan]

Bringing this thread back to life with some portable fire ring options:

This one from Camco is inexpensive ($26.43!) and looks good
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-51091-...=1483911561&sr=8-1&keywords=folding+fire+ring

Not sure how good this one is from Texsport nor do I know how much it costs
https://www.amazon.com/Texsport-Por...rd_wg=9b7UJ&psc=1&refRID=9W0H9RCJX56Q492P2SYF

This one's from Titan Attachments - $65.00 on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Campfire-Por...rd_wg=9b7UJ&psc=1&refRID=9W0H9RCJX56Q492P2SYF

Sunnydaze Big Sky Campfire Ring is $49.95 on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Sunnydaze-Ca...rd_wg=9b7UJ&psc=1&refRID=9W0H9RCJX56Q492P2SYF

The old standby is readily available...Washer Tubs - not too expensive but takes up a lot of space
https://offerupnow.com/item/detail/193461134/Washer-TubFire-Pit

 

[danfromsyr]

I've been wanting to make a firepit that would fit over my spare tire and in essence be a cover while in storage,
the tire won't really care if there's some ash/soot left. and be a zero lost space factor.
other option I've weighed is a DIY propane firepit unit that would fit INSIDE the rim of the spare tire.. again trying for a zero lost space factor.

 

[ETAV8R]

I've been wanting to make a firepit that would fit over my spare tire and in essence be a cover while in storage,
the tire won't really care if there's some ash/soot left. and be a zero lost space factor.
other option I've weighed is a DIY propane firepit unit that would fit INSIDE the rim of the spare tire.. again trying for a zero lost space factor.

Great ideas!

 

[JandDGreens]

I've been wanting to make a firepit that would fit over my spare tire and in essence be a cover while in storage,
the tire won't really care if there's some ash/soot left. and be a zero lost space factor.
other option I've weighed is a DIY propane firepit unit that would fit INSIDE the rim of the spare tire.. again trying for a zero lost space factor.

I think you are thinking outside the box here! With a 33" tire it would be a generous fire ring indeed with out taking up precious space.

I personally want to start using a propane fire pit from now on when I go camping. Not that I don't like a nice fire, I just look at the past few years here in Colorado and the fires that have disrupted so many lives I would rather not build one. I would like to figure out a way to build a propane pit that will mount on a custom made bumper on my trailer similar to a duel swing one with the spare tire and the other with the fire pit mounted to it.

 

[millerfish]

Here in California there are areas and camp grounds that require an above ground fire. For those times I carry a Webber smoky joe. It makes for a great small pit. It also multitasks as a backup cooking devise.

When I pull up at a dispersed camp one my first tasks is maintain fire pit, dig it out as required and cat hole or disperse the ash. It's much better to deal with it at Arival when it's nice and cold than in the morning when there are hot coals and you want to get back on the trail.

I also don't like to see multiple fire rings bu certainly do not agree with destroying them so others cannot use them!

 

[Robert Bills]

In the western states many National Forests and BLM districts prohibit campfires during the summer months. Even when/where fires are permitted, some areas prohibit wood gathering forcing one to bring wood from home. To complicate matters, there is now a trend to discourage/prohibit bringing wood from home in an attempt to prevent the spread of bark beetle and non-native insect infestation forcing one to buy wood locally.

My solution is a Quikfire propane campfire, which is classified as a stove because it uses a burner and can be instantly turned off with a valve. The Quikfire is usually exempt from fire bans, eliminates the need to carry wood or purchase wood locally, takes up little room in my rig even with my 11# propane tank, and is simple to use. Mike Brewer, the owner of the company, is a good guy to work with.

http://quikfire.com/

PS - I carry some glass fire beads in a canvas sack that fits inside the Quikfire carrying case and pour them into the Quikfire for a bit of extra ambiance.