Campfire smoke carries a variety of health implications/Kurt Repanshek file
Campfire smoke can exacerbate existing health conditions, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, carry carcinogens into your lungs, and make your stay in a national park campground miserable.
While many say that an evening around a campfire is an experience integral to your connection with nature, a 2004 U.S. Forest Service study, EPA findings, and an informal poll of Traveler readers raise more than a few concerns about how healthy it can be to sit in a campground with dozens of campfires flickering into the night.
Smoke may smell good, but it's not good for you. The biggest health threat from smoke is from fine particles, also called fine particulate matter or PM2.5. These microscopic particles can get into your eyes and respiratory system, where they may cause burning eyes, runny nose, and illnesses, such as bronchitis.
Fine particles can make asthma symptoms worse and trigger asthma attacks. Fine particles can also trigger heart attacks, stroke, irregular heart rhythms, and heart failure, especially in people who are already at risk for these conditions.-- EPA, Wood Smoke and Your Health
But the particles are only part of the concern. The EPA notes that wood smoke also contains amounts of benzene, formaldahyde, acrolein, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The smoke can irritate lungs, and make them more susceptible to infections, including that from Covid-19, the agency says on its website.
"I used to volunteer at Capitol Reef (National Park) and the smoke from wood fires was bad nearly every evening," wrote Ralph in a comment to a reader survey Traveler conducted in April. "Say no to wood fires at all national parks."
"Campfire smoke is a real problem," wrote Deb. "Too many people are so unaware of anything other than themselves that they just don't care about the people around them. I've been in campgrounds where I couldn't sleep because of the smoke. It's time for fresh air and quiet camping in the national parks."
"In 2013, the South Coast Air Quality Management District in California measured the particulate matter from one beach fire. You can read the report of their studies (here)," pointed out Barbara Peters. "Note slide 3 of their findings states that the particulate emissions rate from one... just one... beach fire is equivalent to that of the secondhand smoke of 800 cigarettes, or three 2013 fleet average diesel trucks. We otherwise know wood smoke is a source of hazardous air pollutants and contains many of the same toxic chemicals as tobacco smoke."
Conversely, Rob Klang wrote that, "Camping and campfires go together like nothing else. It seems that everything has been deemed to cause us harm. But most things that are enjoyable aren't good for you! The amount of smoke inhaled sitting around a campfire is nothing compared to what a firefighter breathes in. Life is too short to worry about the things that 'could' do you harm.... grilling meat, drinking more than one drink per day, etc. Camping and sitting around a fire are relaxing and enjoyable for all who do it. There are much more pressing concerns other than the effects of a little smoke inhalation in our lives. We shouldn't be concerned about the trivial while enjoying camping in the great outdoors in our beautiful national park campgrounds, or anywhere!"
And Loui added that, "There is a time and place for everything. The time and place for campfires is in fire rings in established campgrounds. If you are so misanthropic and/or so fearful of the pereceived health effects, maybe going outside around other people is not for you. Maybe dispersed camping is for you. Generators and dogs and loud music are much bigger problems. Campfires (not bonfires) are more than cultural. Campfires are used to teach new campers how to build a fire. They are used for cooking. They are used to keep campers warm. They bring campers and strangers together."
Eric Burr, a self-described retired ranger/naturalist, wrote that, "As a ... veteran of many 'campfire talks' I see the situation very much in flux. The 'campfire circle' where the naturalist tends the fire is the best place to preserve this hallowed tradition. She or he can use this occasion as the teachable moment to explain why campfires must now be restricted for the general public. It's true that the average tourist visiting national parks now is clueless about real fires. They are much more comfortable with propane, but it too is polluting, and many of them are aware of this. Woodsmoke is goodsmoke and part of nature, but only in the hands of skilled technicians. National parks are the perfect place to address this issue. We need naturalists who know fire."
Back in 2004, Mary Ann Davies conducted an "informal study" (attached) for the Forest Service of the pollutants generated by campfires, both those burning strictly wood and those with added garbage (e.g., candy wrappers, aluminum foil, colored cardboard).
Toulene, which can cause "insomnia, nerve damage, inflammation of the skin, and liver and kidney damage," "is abundant in the smoke of campfires that just burn wood. Only nickel-cadmium batteries released more toluene in smoke than wood," Davies found.
The EPA also noted that, "The particles in wood smoke can reduce visibility (haze). Particles can also create environmental and aesthetic damage in our communities and scenic areas – like national parks."
National Park Service staff in Washington, D.C., did not respond to Traveler inquiries into whether the agency had researched the health impacts of campfire smoke in park campgrounds, or whether the service's work on designing the "21st Century Campground" was considering the issue.
EPA and others have, however, outlined ways to reduce the negative health impacts from campfires:
- Burn only seasoned wood, that which has been allowed to dry for at least six months;
- Use firewood with a moisture content of less than 20 percent;
- Don't burn garbage in your campfire;
- Don't burn wet or moldy wood;
- Learn how to build a proper campfire to minimize the smoke it gives off.
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Comments
Perhaps a communal campfire area where all campers trudge over to in developed campgrounds is a workable solution. In this way a ranger or campground host could generally oversee what is being burned and how big the bonfire gets. It would limit the number of fires every night and would cause campers to come together more. As a solo traveler, this would be a boon for me, as I almost never start a fire when alone, even though I want one.
As explained in the seminal work, Coddling of the American Mind, "safetyism" is the premise that if something is not 100% safe, it is unacceptably dangerous. I, like the authors, reject such thinking. Camfires are not relatively dangerous. Driving to/fro is still, and will continue to be, the most dangerous part of your day.
No fire in a camping area...what's next? No sewer access? No vehicles of any kind? No hiking for fear of damaging a plant of an animal? Opinions go from one thing to another. Why not just do away with the national parks so there's nothing that needs to be restricted or eliminated because someone doesn't like it? First this article spoke about wood burning and then someone else added that propane based fires would also be a danger. Gee whiz...even a simulated fire based on battery technologies would be objectionalbe for some reason.
The main restriction that should apply is likely already in place: local "no burn" ordinances where wildfire would produce much more significant danger. Second, only local fire wood that the park ensures is properly selected and dried could be workable. Similar constraints with good reason and not over reaction would be much tolerable.
Note that part of the camping issues are mostly likely tied to overcrowding at the parks. By trying to accommodate more and more visitors, the parks are jamming people together (certainly has been my experience). Deal with these things first and then lets talk about what needs to be better managed.
Interesting. People have been sitting around camp fires for tens of thousands of years. Without fire there would be no civilization.
A fire at night in a camp ground is part of camping. Roasting things on the fire, teaching kids safety, telling stories or just conversations has been a cherished in experience. But knowledge of smoke contamination, physical problems attributed to smoke are considerations. National and State parks should provide a handout for campfires. Campers should learn how to build a fire and keep it going with additional wood creating little smoke. Campfires or fire pits should be outlawed within cities. Fires that are left unattended throughout the night and smolder contaminate entire neighborhoods. Neighbors cannot open their windows for fresh air at night because of smoke.
I've been working on a presentation I will be making to my city council about backyard fires (same as these, only not in national parks). I knew there were health concerns with woodsmoke. I had NO idea the information I would find, from verified and reliable sources, regarding the dangers of woodsmoke. The amount they contribute to climate change is frightening. One might think, "What will one little campfire/back yard fire do?" The amount of PM 2.5 contributed by "one little fire", burning over the period of three hours is as much as 5 diesel trucks or the secondhand smoke from 800 cigarettes. If you don't know what PM 2.5 is, do a bit of reading.
For those who say we humans have always had fires and have had for tens of thousands of years... our population was much lower thus contributing far far less to climate change than now. It took until 1800 for the world population to reach 1 billion. We are at nearly 8 billion now. Using the past to argue about the present is a moot argument.
The bee population is rapidly dropping. For years, chemicals in pesticides were thought to be the culprits, leading to the mass death of insects. That insect population has declined by 25% ... across the globe. New studies have found that toxic pollutants in the air are equally responsible for the decline and deaths. Bees are critical pollinators: they pollinate 70% of the around 100 crop species that feed 90% of the world. Where do those toxic pollutants come from? Household wood burning. That means fireplaces, workshops, and outdoor fires.
I have camped all of my life, since I was at least 7 years old. I'm now 65. My viewpoint on recreational fires has changed drastically. The time of recreational fire and even home-heating is done.
Campfires should not be allowed, or at least they need to be limited to certain loops or 2 hours a night at most.
We are currently camping at Fort Pickens in Florida. We literally drove here from Washington State to enjoy the warmer weather and nearby ocean. Instead, we are miserable. There are fires every night for no good reason. It's been hot, there are no bugs, and people aren't cooking with them.
The smoke is unbearably thick and fills our camper van. We can't move sites, they are all booked, so have no choice but to breath this polluted air that is forced on us. I can't even read as my eyes are watering so badly and my husband is medicating to try to control a cough and sinus issues this is causing. Some nights the fog moves in and holds the thick smoke in place. At home, they issue health warnings when forest fires make this sort of smoke.
We expect more from our National Parks. Our parks should promote healthy behavior and promote behaviors that don't damage our air environment and contribute to climate impacts by releasing more carbon into the environment. Please ban campfires at national lands! Or, at least consider serious limitations such as having loops free from fire/smoke or require gas fires instead of wood for those people who still want a fire.