Here in Central Oregon, even when it's not fire season when all open and
charcoal fires (anything that has hot coals) are banned, finding
hardwood to burn -- less smoky, more btus per stick, better-tasting food
-- is essentially impossible as the predominant trees in the forests
here are conifers. I have not camped in all the public lands in the
western U.S., but I believe that this is generally true throughout the
region.

--
Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
Bend, Ore.

On 01/03/2014 09:36 AM, Dave Mcneely wrote:
> ---- Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>> RE burning wood...The point is, wood actually is a
>> plentiful and useful fuel and it is a wonder that more stove systems do not
>> use it.
>> Jim
>>
>
> Wood is not always a plentiful fuel.  There are restrictions on gathering wood on a good deal of public land.  If one relied on locally gathered wood in a large portion of Big Bend National Park, one would have to eat cold food.  The same is true in many other national parks.  Fire bans are common as well, but often allow liquid or gas fuel in appliances made for them.
>
> Despite the claims of manufacturers of wood burning appliances, wood is not pollution free fuel.
>
> Buying fuel from vendors is also problematic.  It often comes from distant locations, resulting in transport of insect and disease pests into new areas.  I once bought some bundled firewood at a California State Park, only to discover when I got to my camp with it that it had a tag on it showing that it originated in British Columbia.
>
> I do burn wood when in locations where it is available.  Generally I use a fire ring and burn it in the open, but I have used some container type stoves as well.  When wood is available and there are no environmental or agricultural reasons not to burn it, I do like to have a fire.  And I like occasionally to cook a steak over wood coals.
>
> McNeely
>