Fire lighting and laws

[Bushpig]

Hi all, curious to peoples experience and attitudes to fire lighting in the bush. For the most part you are generally not allowed fires anywhere unless it's private land and you have permission. The national parks generally have signs saying no fires etc. I understand the reasoning for this and very weell however having a fire whilst camping is quite significant for me and many of you guys aswell Im sure.

I am very well able to clear a fire afterwards leaving very little trace at all....do you guys generally ignore most warnings and make sure you just clean up after ? Does anybody have any knowledge of the fire rules on dartmoor...this being my local bushcrafty area ( lucky me ! )

Basically I would probably light a fire regardless of rules but try best not to get caught but have a very strict ethic to clearing a site after i've been there. Is this bad ? lol What do you lot think on the whole subject?


Boooshpig

 

[Motorbike Man]

Hi all, curious to peoples experience and attitudes to fire lighting in the bush. For the most part you are generally not allowed fires anywhere unless it's private land and you have permission. The national parks generally have signs saying no fires etc. I understand the reasoning for this and very weell however having a fire whilst camping is quite significant for me and many of you guys aswell Im sure.

I am very well able to clear a fire afterwards leaving very little trace at all....do you guys generally ignore most warnings and make sure you just clean up after ? Does anybody have any knowledge of the fire rules on dartmoor...this being my local bushcrafty area ( lucky me ! )

Basically I would probably light a fire regardless of rules but try best not to get caught but have a very strict ethic to clearing a site after i've been there. Is this bad ? lol What do you lot think on the whole subject?


Boooshpig

Hi Bushpig, the rules in Dartmoor are no fires and even your camping stove needs to be on a stable rock base. A lot of Dartmoor is very peaty and if this catches an ember, it can go underground and smolder for days, sometimes even weeks before appearing on the surface again as a major bush fire. As much as I love an open fire, this would be one of those instances where I would consider discretion to be the better part of valour. I'm sure there will be many after me who will say that they had a fire on Dartmoor and all was well, but all it takes is one ember, even from a responsible bushcrafter who leaves no sign visible on the surface of his passing, to cause wide spread damage to the environment. If I was out on Dartmoor, I would probably go for some kind of firebox with a good base. Harder to carry I know, but at least you get the open fire without the attendant risk and I have a sneaking feeling (although don't quote me on this ) that if you were caught by a warden, you would probably get away with it.

 

[leon-1]

Hi there Bushpig, Dartmoor is one of my stomping grounds when I get a chance. Fires are strictly controlled on Dartmoor, but the thing to be aware of are the byelaws for the moor.

One of them states that no unauthorized fires are allowed on the moor and that people who are caught "WILL BE FINED" £2000.

One of the reasons for this was where farmers were burning back each year and a number of the fires were getting out of control, hence it also states that if a fire is set your neighbour is to be in formed no less than 2 days before hand and no more than a week before.

There is however no part of the byelaw that differentiates between the private citizen out walking and the farmer swaling his land after harvest.

I find this all a little disconcerting as each year I see lots of people using disposable BBQ's on the moor (which is where people are tending to leave them) and these are not controlled in any way.

I have BBQ'd on the moor myself using a proper BBQ after a day climbing on one of our nice little Tor's with some friends and all of our waste came back with us.

MBM is probably correct about the firebox on the strenght of they may treat it like a BBQ, but be aware that ground fires can be dealt with very aggressively and the National Parks Authority have not been known for being lenient in the past.

 

[Bushpig]

Thanks for the replies people, I certaintly wouldn't want to cause a bushfire etc and am aware that this can happen although by having a fire on a rocky riverbed would be an option..I believe Mr Mears shed light on this very issue in his recent series whilst in scotland.. And I certaintly dont want a £2000 fine. So I may forget about fires on Dartmoor then, I have a trangia and a tent instead of my basha and a fire. Whats a firebox ?

What are the general consensus of the various byelaws? It seems fires are never llowed unless you have permission frm a landowner.


Booosh

 

[leon-1]

What are the general consensus of the various byelaws? It seems fires are never allowed unless you have permission from a landowner.
Booosh

If you do not know the area the above is a good rule of thumb to stick to because generally this is what you will be faced with, there are a few exceptions that I have read before now, but to be honest cannot recall exactly where they were.

Some of the exceptions were seasonal and to do with common ground in specific places, but that is about as much as I can recall.

 

[Motorbike Man]

Thanks for the replies people, I certaintly wouldn't want to cause a bushfire etc and am aware that this can happen although by having a fire on a rocky riverbed would be an option..I believe Mr Mears shed light on this very issue in his recent series whilst in scotland.. And I certaintly dont want a £2000 fine. So I may forget about fires on Dartmoor then, I have a trangia and a tent instead of my basha and a fire. Whats a firebox ?

What are the general consensus of the various byelaws? It seems fires are never llowed unless you have permission frm a landowner.


Booosh

That, unfortunately is pretty much it as Leon 1 says. Best bet is to make enquiries local to you about the possibility of using some land with permission. It sometimes takes a whil to get in touch with the right person but it can pay off in the end.

EDIT - A fire box is simply a metal box, some times foldable that enables you to contain the fire and embers safely.

 

[Tantalus]

What are the general consensus of the various byelaws? It seems fires are never llowed unless you have permission frm a landowner.

Scotland is the minor exception to this general rule

Tant

 

[Motorbike Man]

Scotland is the minor exception to this general rule

Tant

Just a little exception though, hardly worth mentioning really.

 

[Tantalus]

Oh and......... public transport is patchy and sporadic, weather is truly awful and its always miles to the nearest pub.

Nope no point visiting this side of the border, its full of unwanshed heathens and sheep

Tant

 

[Doc]

Even in Scotland, fires are not allowed on or near any road, enclosed land or 'plantation'.

 

[Tantalus]

Close Doc, you missed out a bit though

Lighting fires
Trespass (Scotland) Act 1865 (Section 3)
You are guilty of an offence if you light a fire:
• on or near any private road
• on enclosed or cultivated land
• in or near any plantation
without the consent of the owner or land manager.

http://www.outdooraccess-scotland.com/default.asp?nPageID=209&nSubContentID=0

Tant

 

[Spacemonkey]

Does take all the fun out of it, doesn't it? The irresponsible few ruin it for those that know better.

My region in Spain has been plagued by forest fires this year. Fire swept through my gaff and I lost 10 acres of woodland and 650 odd olive trees. Thankfully, the olives are growing back, and some pines might return, but the big hill is looking bleak. But at least the undergrowth is cleared and I can climb the hill now, which was impossible before. In all it was an 108 hectare fire. However, there was a 650 hectare north of the vill after, and recently two mnountains went up near the big town. It stopped just one valley before the town! They were really worried about that one! The whole region there is a black charred mess. it was started by the electrical companies faulty wires sparking off. Another was started by an angle grinder working a window frame. I should imagine it would be hard for Dartmoor in winter to go up though, which is the best time on the moor as there are no kids doing D of E or townies in their bright bobble hats cooing at the ponies, nor caravans blocking all the roads.