In the past, wilderness rules in the Southeast specifically stated “no campfires”. Now they are listed as “limit campfire impact”.
Were the laws changed recently? I never build fires in wilderness areas, and find it disturbing that now they are allowed.
PhilOchsLives
I can’t answer your question but have you been to www.wilderness.net? Its a good source of information on Wilderness Areas. On the following web page you can search for specific Wilderness areas. Each area has a page with specific information (including regulations) and a link for contacting the USFS.
http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS
Celt
I’m familiar with that site, and most other wilderness area oriented sites. What’s curious about the one you mention is that, until recently, most wilderness areas had among their rules: no campfires. Now it merely reads: “minimize campfire impacts”, which isn’t any kind of rule or protection at all.
Building campfires is a bad idea in wilderness areas now. They shouldn’t be allowed at all, under any circumstances if you’re going to keep the “leave no trace” ethic intact.
PhilOchsLives
I believe it’s up to local management agencies to decide such rules. In a lot of wilderness and NP areas out here (PNW), fires aren’t allowed above certain elevations - and of course as conditions dictate.
Then, like everything, there are also politics involved…
Jonathan