Minimizing Campfire Impact for Leave No Trace

✨Leave No Trace Friday! ✨ (Save this post for your next outdoor excursion!) We are officially onto principle 5: Minimize Campfire Impact! There are a few things to consider when starting a campfire and the first thing to consider is, should you build a fire? ✨Will it damage the backcountry? ✨What is the fire danger for the time of year and location? ✨Are there any restrictions in the area? ✨Is there sufficient wood to burn in the area so the removal won’t be noticeable to the next visitors? ✨Are you in a harsh climate (think alpine or desert) that would make it hard for nature to grow more wood with the demand for firewood? ✨Do you and/or you group members have enough skills to burn a fire that would leave no trace? In an ideal situation you would build a fire in an already existing fire ring but if you’re in the backcountry it’s ideal to build a fire that would leave no trace when you leave. For example, starting a fire on a hard rock surface would leave a burn mark for many years! 🙅🏼‍♀️ It’s also vital that you put your fire out with water and not dirt and to let the wood burn completely to ash. ⛰Building a mound fire with a ground cloth and already disturbed mineral soil, sand, or gravel is an easy way to leave no trace when a fire ring does not already exist. 🍳 A fire pan is another great option! These can be any piece of metal with 3-inch sides and should have soil or rocks placed underneath it when in use to protect the ground from the heat. 🔥 To read more details about the information here and how to properly collect wood and clean up your fire visit LNT.org or @leavenotracecenter