COOKING

USING CAMPFIRES AND LIGHTWEIGHT STOVES

MANY SCOUTS USE LIGHTWEIGHT STOVES on all their camping trips. Stoves are clean, quick to heat water and food, and easy to light in any weather. Best of all, they leave no marks on the land. A stove inn your pack can make it simpler for you to camp without leaving a trace
Fires have their place, too. Afire can warm you, cook your food, and dry your clothes, Bright flames can lift your spirits on a rainy morning. At night, glowing embers can stir your imagination.
A good Scout knows how to build a fire, especially in an emergency. He also knows there are often reasons why he should not light one:

• Campfires can chaar the ground, blacken rocks, and sterilize soil. Vegetation can have a hard time growing again where a fire has been.
• Fires consume dead branches, bark and other organic material that would have provided shelter and food for animals and plants.
• Where hiking and camping are popular, fire sites can spoil the appearance of the land.
• Campfires must be closely watched to prevent them from spreading into surrounding grasses, brush, and trees.
• Find out ahead of time if the area where you want to camp permits the use of fires. Even where fires are allowed, a lightweight stove might be a better choice.