Dangers
- See also: Campfire safety
Special precautions are required for camping in bear country because cooking activities and food storage attract these potentially dangerous animals. Food preparation and storage must be located a safe distance from sleeping areas, so a fire near camp cannot be used for cooking. Food needs to be stored in bear cans or bear bags hung from a tree or post. Other animals may be attracted to food too; most notably raccoons, squirrels, skunks, and mice.
Outdoor cooking elements can be of danger due to their high flammability and proximity to occupants with no fire alarm warning. Use of highly flammable alcohols to refuel portable cookers, gas cookers need to be checked for leaks and kept well away from tents in a sheltered and stable setting. Keep tents at a safe distance from cooking utilities, ground camp fires and make sure they are properly extinguished before resigning to sleep. Wind can carry hot embers, it is recommended to draw a circle of safety. Avoid open ground sleeping next to a camp fire, campers have been known to roll in their sleep towards the heat source including sleeping bags catching fire. During a study most of the contact burns inflicted had a relation of 81% to intoxication, oppose to the flame and flash burns comprising just 11%.
A number of incidents involving camping and fire have resulted in fatalities and severe injuries.
Read more about this topic: Outdoor Cooking
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