Fire is both a tremendous tool and grave danger when camping. Campers should treat fire as a contained emergency always ready to erupt. Fires should be no larger than necessary. Camping fires are for producing heat, light at night and hot coals for cooking. Bonfires are a serious threat for fire to escape the campsite's confines and cause widespread damage, especially in wooded areas that are surrounded by material able to burn quickly and out of control.
Whether camping in the desert or the deep forest, keep fires contained so errant ash and embers cannot find nearby fuel and expand the fire. Create clear firebreaks around the fire area so no leaves, grass or other material are within easy reach of the flames and sparks. Always have a shovel and bucket nearby to move soil and water quickly for dousing an expanding fire. Never leave a hot fire unattended. Bank the coals if leaving the campsite for a hike or other activities. When you return the hot coals will once again produce the heat needed to restart the campfire.
Camping often involves tools such as knifes, hatchets and saws. It's important to keep all cutting tools sharp and clean. Sharp tools will work well while dull blades lead to poor cutting, bounce back (when the tool bounces off wood and can cause injury) and excess work to get a job done.
Never toss a sharp tool to someone. Hand it over, make sure it is grasped fully and only release the tool when the recipient acknowledges having hold of it. Also, never leave a sharp tool on the ground, even for a brief period. Set the tool on a table or other flat elevated surface when necessary during use, and always return it to its sheath or other storage when it's not in use.
Food safety while camping is imperative. It requires storing and preparing food in sanitary conditions, and never leaving food out to attract insects and animals. Everything from ants to bears can detect food from far away and will come looking for the source.
Always prepare food on clean surfaces. Make sure all cooking utensils and camp cookware are clean. If there is no source of hot water for washing dishes and cookware, heat water on the fire.
Always cook food thoroughly. Rare meat and underdone fish are not good companions when many miles from help. Always put away food containers and never leave a lid open. Dispose of all garbage in appropriate sealed containers where available, or burn it, or, if necessary, bury garbage until leaving the site and pack it out with you.
