Burn Security – Alcohol Vs. Esbit?

Currently, at that topographic point are iii active wildfires burning inside a i sixty minutes drive of where I live.  None of these that I know of were caused past times a hiker, but here's i that was:  The Hewlett Gulch Fire (you mightiness desire to plough the audio downwards if you're at work; he cusses nether his breath).

From a paper article:

The U.S. Attorney's Office ... announced that Fort Collins resident [individual's shout withheld] has been cited for causing timber to burn downwards without a permit. [The individual] is defendant of starting the john on Monday, when a stove he was using piece camping ground along the Hewlett Gulch Trail lit the blaze. The stove was a small, backpacking-style stove that burns alcohol.  [emphasis added]

First, allow me lay my bias out on the table:  I like alcohol stoves.  I similar that they're ultra light.  I similar that they're simple to use.  I like that there's rattling footling on them that tin john choke wrong.  I similar that they typically burn downwards cleanly as well as receive got rattling footling (if any) smell.  I similar that they're essentially silent.  I similar that I tin john purchase fuel inward bulk.  All my "go to" laid ups for solo backcountry move are alcohol based.

A Trail Designs Ti-Tri Sidewinder amongst an alcohol stove, i of my favorite UL cooking laid ups.

Are alcohol stoves safe?
So, outset issue:  Are alcohol stoves safe?  I hateful is the john shown inward the video higher upwardly only a fluke?

I shout back it depends a fleck on the blueprint of the stove.  I've personally never used a "tippy" or unstable alcohol stove -- but non all alcohol stoves are as stable as well as safe. Note:  An alcohol stove that uses an absorbent wicking cloth (e.g. carbon felt or similar) would in all probability live safer, depending on how much alcohol was added to the stove.

I'm ever rattling careful close how I utilization a stove.  I've never felt similar I was endangering the wood (that I love), but realistically non everyone is as careful, and, fifty-fifty if I'm careful, no amount of aid is ever 100%.  What if I knock it over?  What if a rigid gust of air current tips it over?  Flaming alcohol everywhere.  Sometimes I'll utilization a total ounce ( 30ml) of alcohol at a time.  If spilled, that could spread over an expanse that I mightiness non live able to extinguish. Some boyfriend hikers receive got challenged me on the security of alcohol stoves.  I receive got to acknowledge that I don't receive got a expert rebuttal.

There's some other run a peril likewise elementary spilling:  refueling.  The flames of alcohol typically cannot live seen during daylight hours.  Stories abound of people trying to refuel a stove that they idea was no longer burning alone to receive got huge flames flare-up out as they poured alcohol into a burning stove.  And where does that right away flaming container go when things select handgrip of fire?   Most of us would drib it or throw it, which could live a existent disaster.   Always feel for oestrus amongst your naked mitt earlier refueling an alcohol stove.  Do NOT depend on beingness able to run across the flames.  See also this cautionary video:

Are alcohol stoves permitted?
Now, the 2nd issue:  Are alcohol stoves permitted?

From the Sequoia National Forest website:

Allowed are: lanterns as well as portable stoves using gas, jellied petroleum, or pressurized liquid fuel exterior of developed recreation sites or campgrounds, but alone amongst a valid California Campfire Permit (available costless of charge).

Other National Forests inward California tell essentially the same thing, as well as inward speaking amongst others around the western United States, these appear to live pretty much the criterion rules.  In other words, alcohol stoves are to a greater extent than oft than non not permitted inward National Forests inward the western US.  Note:  Always banking concern jibe amongst the exceptional solid reason administration way for the expanse you lot wishing to visit; at that topographic point are ever exceptions to full general rules.

So, canister gas, pressurized liquid fuel, as well as jellied "petroleum" are allowed, but typical liquid alcohol stoves are not.  By "jellied petroleum," they hateful Sterno which is genuinely jellied alcohol non jellied petroleum.  In other words, non-liquid alcohol stoves are allowed.  See also Appendix I, Jellied Petroleum, below.

Is ESBIT safe?
ESBIT on the other mitt cannot fall as well as cannot spread.  ESBIT does non emit sparks or embers that tin john float off as well as create a spot fire.  ESBIT does non smolder as well as and thus flare-up dorsum into flame.  Moreover, ESBIT tin john blown out easily past times mouth, much as i mightiness blow out a candle.  I'm non enthralled past times the olfactory belongings of ESBIT, nor do I similar the gluey residuum it leaves on the bottom of my pot, but absent information to the contrary, I'd receive got to tell that ESBIT is the safer choice to alcohol for ultralight cooking laid ups.

Burning ESBIT inward an ultralight cooking laid up

Is ESBIT permitted?
Now, is it permitted?  Well, I gauge a strict reading of USFS websites mightiness Pb i to conclude "no."  However, I experience it is inward the same shape as jellied "petroleum" (see Appendix I, below).  ESBIT is a fuel that has a) been chemically rendered incapable of spilling as well as b) tin john live readily extinguished -- only as easily as a tin john of Sterno amongst it's lid.  It's a fleck unclear whether the Forest Service is a) only unaware of ESBIT type fuels b) genuinely intends to ban ESBIT, or c) permits ESBIT since it has the appropriate characteristics (cannot fall as well as tin john live readily extinguished).  From a technical perspective, ESBIT is sure as shooting at to the lowest degree as condom as a white gasoline stove as well as inward many ways is safer.  I shout back there's a fleck of grayness expanse hither as well as that the Forest Service should either province outright that ESBIT is banned and why or should province explicitly that it is permitted.  For now, inward keeping amongst the spirit of the regulations, I believe that ESBIT is to a greater extent than oft than non permitted.

Concluding Remarks
I acknowledge that I dislike the ban on alcohol stoves but, grudgingly, I'm getting won over, specially inward times of high john danger. And ESBIT seems pretty stone venture safe.

The websites of the diverse National Forests of the western United States are a textbook lawsuit of pitiful writing.   There is a profound lack of clarity on the theme of john regulations, which I uncovering somewhat shocking since john is a champaign of written report of non bad importance.  What I've done is to catch a number of National Forest websites.  Only inward the aggregate do they start to build sense.  I've quoted the Sequoia National Forest website higher upwardly since it is i of the clearest.  I believe that I receive got faithfully rendered the the "spirit of the law" inward the higher upwardly spider web log post, but at that topographic point is some room for question.  In the final analysis, the United Forest Service isn't rattling clear close just what the regulations are.  You should ever consult straight the solid reason administration way for the area(s) you lot intend to catch as well as utilization a stove.  I do receive got a full general summary listed inward Appendix II, below.

Thanks for joining me on the journey,

HJ

Appendix I -- Jellied "Petroleum"
All of the Forest Service websites appear to verbalize close "jellied petroleum."  Jellied crude is usually known as napalm as well as is used amongst non bad lawsuit as a weapon of war; flame throwers utilization jellied petroleum.  There are no known examples of backpacking type stoves that utilization jellied petroleum.  So what is the Forest Service talking about?  Let's await at the San Bernardino National Forest's website which has a helpful FAQ section:

Why are jelly petroleum-fueled stoves okay as well as campfires aren’t?
Gas, liquid, as well as jelly petroleum-fueled stoves tin john live extinguished past times turning off the fuel rootage to the stove. Jelly petroleum-fueled stoves tin john live extinguished by putting a metallic lid over the container. This makes their utilization much safer than campfires. Ashes or hot briquettes tin john blow exterior of the john pit; these embers tin john easily start a wildfire. Also, visitors mightiness discard ashes or hot charcoal briquettes earlier they are completely cool, which could drive vegetation to ignite later on after they are gone. Wood, charcoal, or whatever venture fuel fires are non allowed inside the San Bernardino National Forest exterior developed campgrounds, picnic areas, xanthous post service sites, as well as special utilization permitted sites inward agency-provided john rings or designated sites at whatever fourth dimension of the year.  [emphasis added]

Looking at the higher upwardly as well as at other National Forest websites, it becomes clear that they hateful Sterno type fuel, which is jellied alcohol non jellied petroleum.

The Cleveland National Forest's spider web page on Wilderness areas is fifty-fifty to a greater extent than explicit, mentioning the Sterno build past times name:

Campfire, barbecue or hibachi utilization is non allowed. Propane or sterno fuel stoves are allowed.  [emphasis added]

Notice that the higher upwardly alone mentions propane as well as sterno.  Does this hateful that butane stoves are illegal?  How close white gasoline?  Kerosene?  This is what I hateful when I tell at that topographic point is a profound lack of clarity on the theme of john regulations. Again, i must convey the diverse National Forest websites inward the aggregate inward social club to build sense of them.

Appendix II -- Key Regulations Summary
As I mentioned inward my lastly remarks, above, I've visited quite a number of National Forest websites.  If i reads plenty of them, inward the aggregate, they start to build sense.  Regulations vary some wood to forest, but to a greater extent than oft than non the below are true.  These regulations are from California National Forests, but regulations inward other western National Forests are similar.

• Backpacking stoves (of whatever type) are considered past times the US Forest Service to live a shape of campfire.
• In the province of California, a California Campfire Permit is to a greater extent than oft than non required inward social club to operate a backpacking stove.  In some areas, a Wilderness Permit is acceptable inward lieu of a Campfire Permit.
• Pressurized liquid crude stoves amongst a on/off device or valve are to a greater extent than oft than non permitted.   Example:  An MSR Whisperlite stove is permitted
• Canister gas stoves amongst an on/off device or valve are to a greater extent than oft than non permitted.  Example:  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Snow Peak Gigapower stove is permitted.
• Jellied alcohol stoves are to a greater extent than oft than non permitted.  Example:  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Sterno stove is permitted. ESBIT type fuel is non mentioned.  From a technical perspective it has the same characteristics as Sterno (cannot fall as well as tin john live easily extinguished), but ESBIT is a fleck of a grayness area.  I believe ESBIT is inward keeping amongst the spirit of the regulations.  Ask whatever 2 dissimilar rangers as well as you'll in all probability larn 2 dissimilar opinions.  At the rattling least, it's condom from a technical perspective as well as won't start a wildfire.
• Liquid alcohol stoves are to a greater extent than oft than non NOT permitted.  They in all probability are permitted where wood fires are already permitted, but the National Forest websites aren't specially clear on this point.
• Wood stoves are to a greater extent than oft than non NOT permitted except where wood fires are already permitted.

Appendix III -- Other Fire Regulations

• From the Mendocino National Forest website:  "Permits must live signed past times an adult 18 years of historic catamenia or older."  Apparently, fires are prohibited unless a permitted adult is present.
• From the Angeles National Forest:  "During high john danger, additional john restrictions may live imposed. Before your visit, banking concern jibe amongst a local Forest Service utilization for electrical current john restriction information."
• From multiple National Forests:  "Clear all vegetation inward a 5 pes radius" as well as "a shovel is required to live present."  How much the shovel regulation is enforced inward backcountry areas is champaign of written report to question.  My supposition is that a potty trowel volition live sufficient.  Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 5 pes radius seems a fleck excessive for a backpacking stove as well as is hardly a "Leave no trace" practice, but that's what the regulations telephone band for.