Los Alamos -- Campfire Safety

Always try to use a campstove- they are lightweight, portable and are recommended for their cooking efficiency, and because they do not damage an area as campfires do. If you do build a fire, keep it small, and never build one on a windy day. A fire ring or fire pit is an ugly and permanent reminder of your visit. Please do not construct a rock ring, but dig a shallow pit with your hand trowel. Never build a fire in a grassy area or in a meadow. To do so leaves a long lasting scar. There is plenty of dead wood, down on the ground, so never cut branches from a standing tree. Snags or dead standing trees are the home of wildlife and injuries to live trees leave them open to disease, insect attack and even death.

Cleaning up a campfire's debris so that the area may retain a natural appearance requires just as much effort as building a fire. Make sure the fire is "out cold" before disposing of it. A good test is if the coals feel cool when you place your hand on them. Then, scatter the cold ashes, replace the soil, and return the site to its natural condition. You may bury the coals from your fire, but sometimes it is easier to remove them from the area. The coals may be placed in a natural depression in the ground, and covered with dirt, or they may be spread where no one will see them. Sometimes a good place to scatter dead coals is under a tree with very low spreading branches. Finally, remember to replace the soil over the original campfire site.