Campfires

Trotter

Just wondering is it ok to light small campfires if you're camping in the mountains?

Im hoping to head to the Comeraghs soon, and I heard recently it might be illegal to light little campfires.

Any idea?

BeardyGit

It's illegal and if you're spotted you'll be crucified for lighting a fire. Apart from that there's absolutely no valid reason for lighting campfires in this day and age in a wilderness location in Ireland unless you're in an emergency situation. Bring a stove. If you really MUST have a campfire, go to a camping site with alter fire facilities, not the wilds.

Gil

Remember the saying: Take only pictures, leave only footprints.

larryone

kill only time

daithi

I have been researching this, and i cant find any reference to the legality or not anywhere... has anybody got some hard proof?,
I have found a refernce to a person sugesting good places for firewood on the MCI furum, but thats is it.
MCI guidelines state that you should use a stove instead of a fire, but it just suggests that you dont, it does not say do not, it just says tht they leave a mark, so your better to use a stove.

Id love to iron this one out, any solid proof would be greatly appreciated.

Evil Phil

You could phone the MCI (+353-1-6251115) and ask. *hint hint*

BeardyGit

Okay....I'll confirm the details tomorrow when I check my paperwork in the office (scouts paperwork of course...Nothing to do with work). I'm sure it's listed in the by-laws for state owned parklands - Which covers pretty much all non-agricultural open land in ireland. But I know what won't be enough....I'll get back to y'all tomorrow.

Gil

cormie

A stove is not the same as a nice controlled open fire. If you do it right you'll have nothing to worry about, perhaps do it in woodland so it's not easily visible from a distance. Camping isn't camping without an open fire. Anyway, ligting a fire on a woodland surface has benefits to the soil, or so I hear. Fire is natural, go for it. Just don't be making any black smoke, burn only suitable woods.

It's great to have the heat of a campfire while sitting around with your friends. Have a good time:)

daithi

You make me want ot go outside and set fire to something right now
so until we get the legal feedback... whats good for not making black smoke or what makes black smoke? im sure its bad for the sausages. what about dead wood from bushes? is sap or greenery bad?
Looking forward to getting some clarification gil, ive read some stuff from the irish scouts about people having camp fires in treks in other countries but nothing here.
I suppose i should really call the MCI, but its 01.46 and i doubt they are open :P

cormie

By black smoke I mean toxic materials, tyres and plastics etc, hehe, most, if not all, types of wood are fine and give white smoke. Sap or greenery wont make a differnce to what's burning if you have a fire going in the first place. Natural things are fine really.

Start it off with some dead grass if you can get it, I mean dead as in crisp dry, get some sticks and make sure there is plenty of ventilation between the grass and sticks etc, have bigger bits of wood ready to alight once this lights up well. Use your mouth, blowing on a fire is great to get it going. Once you get the bigger bits of wood going, you're sorted for the night, just keep a healthy supply and make sure you do your searching for wood in the early stages of the night when it's bright. Get as much loose wood as you can, leave the trimming of trees (if even necessary) till later at night.

You don't need petrol or anything to start the fire, one match and a good set up of dry leaves, branches and grass.

Dave!

Any word on the legality of campfires?

cormie

wish I knew

Alun

Seek and ye shall find ... this is for the Wicklow Mountains National Park and as you can see it's by "permit only", i.e. forget it.

http://www.wicklownationalpark.ie/pages/wildcamping.php

And if you're on Coillte land, you can forget it too ...

http://www.coillte.ie/download/recreation/english/Coillte_Eng_13.pdf

BeardyGit

Son of a....

The bastards never got back to me despite 2 polite enquiries (1 in person at the Coilte offices in Newtown Mt. Kennedy)

Cheers for that!

Gil

cormie

I'm sure the folks in Glen O the Downs protest never had a permit to light campfires and I'd have a good guess they were never told to put them out. As long as it's not a load of rowdy folk throwing cans and plastic bags around the place and you have a controlled fire, nobody would mind. Also explain that a fire is good for the soil underneath, or so I've been told:)

dranoel

If you choose to build a campfire but want to minimise the damage it will cause then I suggest you follow the 'Leave No Trace' path:


http://www.lnt.org/programs/lnt7/campfires.html

burdburd

Common sense - don't light a fire up a tree and ensure it is extinguished fully when leaving . If possible before you light it dig out a few divots that can be reused later cover the burnt patch.

I recommend the stove for cooking and the fire for effect.

The orignal post was in August - have you gone camping yet ? and the big Q that everyone wants to know ....did you remember the toilet roll ?

Trotter

lol.. Believe it or not I didnt get to go! Although having done the Inca trail already, Im well used to the joys of bringing the toilet paper Although.. try using it when you're at 4000 metres at -12celcius with a dose of altitude sickness.

Its like squatting in the Arctic after a bottle of vodka and a smack in the head!

burdburd wrote:

Common sense - don't light a fire up a tree and ensure it is extinguished fully when leaving . If possible before you light it dig out a few divots that can be reused later cover the burnt patch.

I recommend the stove for cooking and the fire for effect.

The orignal post was in August - have you gone camping yet ? and the big Q that everyone wants to know ....did you remember the toilet roll ?

FX Meister

cormie wrote:

Get as much loose wood as you can, leave the trimming of trees (if even necessary) till later at night.

Don't use any live wood at all. If there isn't enough dead wood for your fire then don't bother having one.

Bam Bam

As for whether its legal or not.

YOU'RE UP A MOUNTAIN

What guard is going to see you up a mountain with a small fire. What Guard cares.

I've gone out hiking a few times and at night fire is a must. Put a circle of stones around it dig a hole get plenty of wood small branches and a log or two and your sorted

However you must be responsible about it and make sure its controlled.

BeardyGit

Well - Looks like patience IS a virtue. I've finally received a response to my email which provides the following nugget of information:

Camping and Campfires in National Parks

[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
Legislation

Reference can be made to Forestry Act (1946), Wildlife Act (1976), Wildlife [Amendment] Act (2000), Air Pollution Acts.

[FONT=&quot]From a Wildlife Act point of view it is unlawful (under Section 39 to "Light a fire, or do any other act, which causes or is likely to cause the burning of vegetation which is growing within one mile either of a wood which is not the property of "such person" or of land mentioned in paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section (which is land to which an establishment order, recognition order, a designation order or an agreement under Section 18 of the Act relates).[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]This means that it is not unlawful under the Wildlife Act to light a fire more than a mile from a wood or one of the other places mentioned in the legislation.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Added to this, the Act could be interpreted to mean that it is only illegal to light a fire if it “causes or is likely to cause” the setting fire to growing vegetation. Thus for example lighting a fire in a controlled fire site would not be considered illegal.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]More generally, recreational users in Ireland should understand that all land in Ireland is owned and none of it is "wilderness". As a rule, people should only light fires with the permission of the landowner. Often land can have environmental designations and values which the casual visitor will not be aware of. For example ‘Special Area of Conservation’ is not usually sign-posted or delineated on the ground.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
Code of Practice

[FONT=&quot]The National Parks and Wildlife Service are currently producing 5-year management plans for the 6 National Parks. Plans for Wicklow Mountains National Park and Killarney National Park were published in 2005. No formal campsites or facilities are provided in the National Parks. However a certain amount of ‘wild camping’ does take place. One of the commitments of the management plans is to draw up an environmental code of practice/conduct for all recreational users of the Park, including campers, in order to ensure that there are no negative impacts to the parks or to other users. This will be done in consultation with the main user organisations. This code of will be based on the Leave No Trace outdoor ethics programme. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Leave No Trace [/FONT][FONT=&quot]is an environment awareness/education programme developed in the United States. It aims to encourage the individual to take personal responsibility and develop a personal ethic with regard to their impact on the natural environment. The objective is to get people to recognise the negative impact they can have on the environment e.g. litter, and to let them know how they can reduce this. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Coillte has already adopted this programme for all their properties and NPWS staff will be assisting in the rollout of their programme this year, with an information day and site signage. One of the Conservation Rangers in WMNP has been trained in the US and the Park is setting up a pilot project in 2006 in conjunction with their education service. This will be reviewed at end 2006 and it is hoped that eventually NPWS will endorse the programme throughout the Service.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]More information is available at: [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]www.NPWS.ie[/FONT][/FONT]
[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]www.wicklownationalpark.ie[/FONT] [/FONT]
www.coillte.com[FONT=&quot][/FONT]

cormie

Does that mean lighting a fire on a stoney beach is ok?

BeardyGit

Hmmmm....

I think that's an entirely different thing really. The question was posed to the NWPS/Coillte etc. They don't enforce bylaws for beaches etc. That would more than likely fall solely within the jurisdiction of the county council for wherever you'd want to light a fire.

I guess the most sensible thing to do would be to do your best to exercise caution if near anything that could catch fire (rushes etc during the hotter months) and be sure to clean up afterwards. It's not the case that the sea will wash everything away - You'd want to build a 'pit' fire of sorts and fill it in (leaving only ash) when you're done.

To be honest the only time I ever have a problem when I see campfires is when some drunken bastards burn a tree trunk or leave their fireplace full of half-burnt rubbish and beer cans.

Gil

cormie

I'm a nature lover and don't drink so not much to worry about in that department with me:)

eniarrol

We are thinking of going camping at the weekend. We have never been camping before and i would like to know does anyone know any wild campsities that you can go to. Also be allowed to light campfre and no permits required .