Pathfindersonline

It occured to me to post this here just to prove I was the last guy in the world to think of it.

As a Pathfinder I found myself either burning up or freezing at campouts. I was member of a large club with 80 or more kids plus staff normally. Our staff always built us the traditional round campfire and that was the cuplerate of my grief.

Bonfires are fun but cause a general evacuation of any place remotely near the fire and still leave people in a large group freezing, then they are small again then they are big again...

When I was a CIT (TLT to you younguns) I started dealing with the fires my self. I take my fires seriously so taking charge was quite natural for me. I began to build our campfire pits in loooooong oval form. This allows for more people to get into comfortable range of the fire at any time. If you prepare you fire well and manage it you do not have as many waves in the crowed as they try to escape the intense heat then cold...

God Bless,

Chris Fishell
Xtreme Youth Resources International

That is a great idea. What would you do for places that don't like ground fires and require a fire bowl?

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"Jesus answered, 'Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.' " John 13:8b

Good question. I was just about to ask that. Here in Florida, it seems like we are perpetually on a fire ban. We can only use drum to build our fires and those don't get terribly big.

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Iris N. Hillmon
Florida Pathfinders

I built an above ground fireplace from an expired propane bottle.

The legs *beep* (rotate on a threaded bolt ?) off the bottom and fit basically inside for transport. There are also holes in the feet allowing me to pound stakes (12" nails) into the ground so that no one can accidently tip it over by bumping it.

There is a chimney which takes most of the smoke and moves it over head so you don't get as smokey and allows for sparks to cool somewhat too. I plan to add a screen still, but have not yet.

I can have a marshmallow roast on this fireplace without even smelling like smoke afterwards.

Here's a pic. If there's demand, I'll try and document the building and post for anyone interested.

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Woodlands Pathfinder Club
Ponoka, Alberta, Canada

Although we have fire bans here on a regular basis they are to an extent that we can not have any fire at all, not even smokers can smoke outside in ban areas. We have some large forest fires here so they get serious about it for a few months each year. On the other hand most of our clubs are not camping during those summer months when the ban is in effect.

How you might get that system working depends on local code, you may need multiple fires, or you can get heat fans. They make fans for setting on Iron stoves in cabins and in old houses, the heat itself causes them to run and they, in turn help distribute heat to a wider area faster.

I like Gerald's fire place. Before anyone takes a torch to an old barrel, canister, or compressed gas canister remember they are subject to explosion if not properly discharged first. That is if you are not experienced at dealing with such projects find someone who is.

Sorry, I don't have more answers about container fires, maybe I can think on it.

God Bless,

Chris Fishell
Xtreme Youth Resources International

"Before anyone takes a torch to an old barrel, canister, or compressed gas canister remember they are subject to explosion if not properly discharged first. That is if you are not experienced at dealing with such projects find someone who is. "

Yes !!!

Thanks Chris for pointing this out. This is a VERY important point. I went to great lengths to be safe when making this fireplace.

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Woodlands Pathfinder Club
Ponoka, Alberta, Canada

Unfortunately these days, there are many places that don't allow fires, or have restrictions. One option that some clubs use, is propane heaters in their large eating tent. This can make things pretty warm. But it takes several to heat up a large tent.

There is no good alternative to a good campfire though.

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my take on large groups and fires... I think that its a good idea to simple build more than one fire if you have larger groups (we have about 120 this year) that way everybody can get around it and still feel the heat; where as a single fire simply can't fit that many people around it!

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OUTDOORS ROCK!!!

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