camping= fire, why?

Oh the great omnipotent Sierra Club disapproves of fires? I'll never have one again.

It is the Dallas variety of the Sierra Club that opposes fires. If you check it, that part of Texas has been hit pretty hard by wildfires, so they are just sensitive.

–B.G.–

It was tongue in cheek. I build fires responsibly and wouldn't consider one in the dry forests you have in Tejas. I rarely have a fire anyway.

When solo, I often build fires because I enjoy cooking over a fire, especially in my Tri Ti Caldera Cone Inferno. If I plan on fishing, I sometimes bring a lightweight grill to cook the fish. If my wife comes with me I almost always build a fire because she loves a campfire and I want her to be happy. If you don't like fires, or you want to ascribe your own idea of my motivation to my fire building, please feel free to assume an air of moral superiority. It won't bother me a bit.
You should be around here on New Years Eve. We have a large party and my pyromaniac buddies and I build a fire we hope can be seen from the Space Station. Ever hear of a blow log? With us it involves rounding up everything we can find that is highly flammable and/or explosive. If you're in the area, you are all invited. I have 5 acres for pitching a tent and a number places where you can hang a hammock. Floor space in the house gets taken up pretty quick.

For a lot of people, having a campfire is one and the same as camping because it's relaxing, warm, and it's something to do in camp (because we equate boredom with not enjoying yourself).

I don't care so much if people choose to make a fire or not. I occasionally make one myself, although not so much anymore. They're mesmerizing to watch, provide some heat in the evening, and I can burn all my plastic wrappers and paper trash in them halfway through a trip.

The following things do bug me, though:

-people leaving a fire ring or any trace of their fire at a campsite when they leave
-leaving two or more fire rings because the one they found at the campsite was so full of rocks and trash that they couldn't start a fire in it and were too lazy to at least scatter the fire ring(s) that they built.

Because boys love making a fire.