Campfire: Low Impact Fires

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By Leave No Trace.

The two best methods for building a minimum-impact fire are in a self-contained unit such as a fire pan or on a mound. There is nothing inherently wrong about having a fire when camping in the backcountry. But as with all wildland recreational issues, the problem arises when too many people make too many fires using outdated methods, and the landscape is damaged.

The pan fire. The pan fire prevents the soil beneath from being scorched. In addition to other low-impact campers, river runners frequently choose to build pan fires.

Choose a fire pan. The pan should have at least three-inch-high sides. Use a metal oil drain pan, backyard barbecue grill pan, or garbage can lid.
Elevate the pan on rocks so the soil below does not sustain heat damage.
Fill the pan with sand or gravel.
Add small, dead and downed pieces of wood no larger than the diameter of an adult wrist that can be broken with your hands. Scavenge for wood over a wide area away from camp. Use dry drift wood on rivers and sea shores.
Burn all wood down to a fine, white ash.
When breaking camp, grind small coals to ash between your gloved hands, thoroughly soak with water, and scatter the remains over a large area away from camp. Ashes may have to be packed out in river corridors.
Replace the soil where you found it.

The mound fire. Construction of a mound fire can be accomplished by using simple tools: a garden trowel, large stuff sack and a ground cloth or plastic garbage bag. The advantage of the mound fire is that it can be built on flat exposed rock or on an organic surface such as litter, duff or grass.

Collect some mineral soil, sand, or gravel from an already disturbed source. The root hole of a toppled tree or a dry streambed is a good source.
Lay a ground cloth on the fire site. The ground cloth or garbage bag is important only in that it makes cleaning up the fire much easier.
Spread the soil into a circular, flat-topped mound at least 3 to 5 inches thick. The thickness of the mound is critical to insulate the ground below from the heat of the fire. The circumference of the mound should be larger than the size of the fire to allow for the spreading of coals.
Use small pieces of dead and downed wood, no larger than the circumference of your wrist.
Burn the wood down to a fine, white ash.
When breaking camp, make sure the fire is thoroughly out - you should be able to run your hand through the ashes. Scatter the leftover ashes over a broad area away from camp.
Replace the soil where you found it.