Campfires?

[PhoenixFemmeFatale]

So... I've searched the virgin guides and playa posts and I've found a lot of info on fire procedures and policies. However, I need one precise simple question answered : Can we have a campfire if we bring a burnbarrel or a raised firebowl? We are not part of a 'theme camp' and much of what I have read/found refers to 'theme camps' and the safety guidelines (distance, windy situations, etc...). I'm sure this topic has been covered and I just haven't found it.... Thanks for your help!

[some seeing eye]

The rules you found apply to all camping areas. The concern is a windblown fire sweeping through tents, vehicle fuel and stored fuel. We are lucky it has not happened yet.

[PhoenixFemmeFatale]

Thanks Some Seeing Eye. I thought that might be the case but didn't want to make any assumptions!

[Token]

The rules are spelled out on the main site somewhere. Go look.

It's all basic common sense. The fire must be some X number of feet from any tent, structure etc.

You must have fire extinguishers.

Active fires MUST be tended to and a live real person MUST be present performing those tasks.

The fire pit device MUST be elevated from playa Y number of inches. No burn scar is allowed.

You MUST pack out any ash, wood, coal created by said fire pit. Your pit may still be smoldering when you decide to leave so bring a metal can to haul that garbage out.

If you must have fire in your camp, much easier and convenient to have a propane fire pit. You can turn it off on a whim and no messy cleanup.

[some seeing eye]

Burn barrels with nice torch cut vents are beautiful and useful throughout the year. We found that they do fill with ashes to unusability, so suggest leaving time every few days to cool them and empty the ashes. Shallower pits hold less and are easier to clean. Also useful for disposing paper plates, cups baby wipes and such. They leave small bits of charcoal around that are a bitch to collect. If they are not collected they contribute to BM blackmarks that could cancel the event (see "MOOP Map").

Mr Token points out you don't want your week's worth of waste ash storage to ignite.

Often here are communal burn barrels along the Esplanade for your warming pleasure. Camp lumber at the end can be donated if a certain size and type or carried to burn pyres along the Esplanade.

Enjoy your flames!

[lemur]

[theCryptofishist]

Just remember that the good firewood is typically gone by about 10:30.

[Ugly Dougly]

It was permitted last year, anyway. No telling how long we will get away with it.

[Shoeshine]

We went back and forth about a burn barrel for our small camp, and given the need for controlling it all the time we opted out.

Instead we built a propane fire pit. It cost about $150 in materials but it is going to be useable for many years. Cheap fire pit bowl on legs from home depot $50, a High flow pressure regulator(like the ones used for turkey fryers) also from the depot $15. A welded fire ring from a landscaping supply company ~$40, couple of bags of lava rock (& 2 five gallon buckets to haul it in and out again) $15, and a bottle of propane $30 (though many people already have this for their BBQ), plus a few fittings and Teflon tape rated for gas.

again reusable for multiple trips, in fact it ended up of one of our campmates deck for the rest of the year.

and the biggest bonus... sitting around the fire when we want to, and when that shiny art car goes by we simple close the valve. instant off and off we go (do have a cover as the lava rock gets really hot) no worries about flying ash, etc...

just my $.02

PS with moderate use, 2-4 hours most nights a the BBQ cylinder lasted all burn

[PhoenixFemmeFatale]

Thanks for the info everyone! We decided to go without a fire this year. We're opting out of the added responsibility since this is our first burn. Hopefully, we aren't kicking ourselves on night 3 wishing we had made different plans!

[TT120]

You can always go find someone elses camp fire and ask if you can hang around. You might make some new friends.

[Jackass]

There are a ton of camps with multiple burn barrels and comfy seating around, just go poach some of their BTUs if things get a little cold. If you don't feel like sitting in someone else's camp, go to the esplanade and stand or sit near one of those monsterous calderas. There's no shortage of BTUs in the BRC.

Flamethrower Camp can get pretty warm at night.

[phil]

It's all basic common sense.

There is no common sense. :-> That's been proved repeatedly at Burning Man. Wasn't it a Ranger who set fire to her tent with a tiki torch inside it?

[PhoenixFemmeFatale]

You can always go find someone elses camp fire and ask if you can hang around. You might make some new friends.

That's what we're hoping for! Thanks!

[theCryptofishist]

It's all basic common sense.

There is no common sense. :-> That's been proved repeatedly at Burning Man. Wasn't it a Ranger who set fire to her tent with a tiki torch inside it?

So why did I hear llc member?