Fire bans - Do I need an OzPig or something similar?

[r0ssrg]

Hi All

In planning phase for the trip next year.  Trying to work out if I should buy an OzPig or buy a folding fire pit from SnowPeak etc.  Either that or I just do it the old fashioned way ... on the ground.

Main issue is fire bans that maybe in play at certain National Parks?  Is this even likely to be an issue?

My main question is do I really need to be worried about this or am I just being paranoid?

Rossco

[Jason B]

Mate if its fire bans you are worried about then all of the options you have listed are out. As no solid fuel fires are allowed during the bans, this applied to cooking also. So no wood fire of any kind.

All of the options mentioned are fine when there are no bans. You can generally cook with gas appliances during the fire bans, however some NP's insist that a bucket of water is next to the stove at all times.


Regards


Jas

[Marschy]

In SA national parks, a total fire ban means no gas stoves, even inside your camper trailer. If you are in a caravan, no problem. Found this out during News Years at Deep Creek 2012. 40+ for 3 days in a row. We cooked up everything the night before the total fire ban kicked in.

The host at the park was very gracious and offered us a kettle of hot water to make coffee in the mornings 

[Kingsthorpedavid]

--- In OZPIGusers@yahoogroups.com, OZPIGusers-owner@yahoogroups.com wrote:

 
 A message from Queensland National Parks:
 
 Thank you for your e-mail enquiring about campfire restrictions. Open
 fires are prohibited on Fraser Island but your Ozpig may be used on
 Fraser Island, Inskip and Moreton Island. However, the use of this
 appliance is subject to conditions outlined below as stated on our
 website – http://www.epa.qld.gov.au <http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/> 
 Fraser Island Great Sandy National Park\frequently asked questions.
 
 Fully self-contained heating and cooking appliances may be used at all
 campgrounds (unless a Total Fire Ban is in place). They must be off the
 ground (recommended minimum height is 200mm). These appliances must use
 only manufactured fuel such as heat beads. Bush timber or timber off
 cuts must not be used. Appliances that are not fully self-contained,
 such as braziers, are not permitted. All appliances, materials and fuels
 (e.g. heat beads) must be removed from the national park on
 departure'.
 
 Bribie Island
 Please note... It has been bought to our attention that Fires / Heat
 Beads are not permitted on the ocean beach
 Fires are permitted at Mission Point & Poverty Creek (Take you own fire
 wood)

 Kind regards
 Cheryl
 
 Cross-posted from the OZPIG website with permission.

Hope this helps  -  David

[BigJules]

In SA national parks, a total fire ban means no gas stoves, even inside your camper trailer. If you are in a caravan, no problem. Found this out during News Years at Deep Creek 2012. 40+ for 3 days in a row. We cooked up everything the night before the total fire ban kicked in.

The host at the park was very gracious and offered us a kettle of hot water to make coffee in the mornings 

Fair dinkum? Never had a lot of sparks off a gas cooker myself   



These style of devices are handy when no fire is allowed on the ground, and also for cooking, heating the billy etc. I am going to a field day in Mudgee in July for instance, where I can't exactly have a fire in the middle of my stand, but I reckon I'll be grateful of the pig-type device I'm going to make. Keep some water hot and provide some warmth to the guys and I.

[Jason B]

--- In OZPIGusers@yahoogroups.com, OZPIGusers-owner@yahoogroups.com wrote:

 
 A message from Queensland National Parks:
 
 Thank you for your e-mail enquiring about campfire restrictions. Open
 fires are prohibited on Fraser Island but your Ozpig may be used on
 Fraser Island, Inskip and Moreton Island. However, the use of this
 appliance is subject to conditions outlined below as stated on our
 website – http://www.epa.qld.gov.au <http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/> 
 Fraser Island Great Sandy National Park\frequently asked questions.
 
 Fully self-contained heating and cooking appliances may be used at all
 campgrounds (unless a Total Fire Ban is in place). They must be off the
 ground (recommended minimum height is 200mm). These appliances must use
 only manufactured fuel such as heat beads. Bush timber or timber off
 cuts must not be used. Appliances that are not fully self-contained,
 such as braziers, are not permitted. All appliances, materials and fuels
 (e.g. heat beads) must be removed from the national park on
 departure'.
 
 Bribie Island
 Please note... It has been bought to our attention that Fires / Heat
 Beads are not permitted on the ocean beach
 Fires are permitted at Mission Point & Poverty Creek (Take you own fire
 wood)

 Kind regards
 Cheryl
 
 Cross-posted from the OZPIG website with permission.

Hope this helps  -  David

Some good info there, however its still out in a fire ban.

[r0ssrg]

Hi guys

Ok so you can't have a open fire on Fraser.   Glad I went there as a kid.

How many other places around Australia do similar rules apply?

If you were going around Australia would you take one? Is it worth the effort?

Thanks Ross

[Marschy]

Fair dinkum? Never had a lot of sparks off a gas cooker myself   

Straight from the SA CFS web site.

Can I use a gas or electric barbeque?

FIRE DANGER SEASON - YES

Providing you have:

• A four metre cleared space around and above the gas fire or electric element
• A responsible person is in attendance at all times
• An adequate agent to extinguish the fire is at hand

TOTAL FIRE BAN - YES

Providing it is gas or an electric element and used:

• Within 15 metres of domestic premises ***, or
• On a coastal foreshore

Providing you have:

• A four metre cleared area around and above the barbeque
• A responsible person is in attendance at all times with water or an extinguisher at hand

*** domestic premises means a building or other structure that is fixed to the ground and connected to a reticulated or stored water supply and that is occupied as a place of residence but does not include a caravan.


So the host at Deep Creek broke the rules when he boiled a billy for us in his caravan.

[Jon]

Camper at Myall lakes NP(NSW) one summer and total fire bans came into force while we were there. No fires, NO GAS flame on your own cooker BUT NPWS said we could use their gas BBQ's which the ranger said were coin operated.

Realistically, I am far less likely to set fire to my own tent than anything else but meh...

[gronk]

Hi guys

Ok so you can't have a open fire on Fraser.   Glad I went there as a kid.

How many other places around Australia do similar rules apply?

If you were going around Australia would you take one? Is it worth the effort?

Thanks Ross

Yep' you can have an open fire on Fraser..at Dilli Village.....and you can burn nice big bits of bush timber..

As for taking a pig around Aus......I wouldn't bother.....just look for the places where you CAN have a fire..

[briann532]

In the good old "nanny"state of New South We'll-over-regulate-you.

this applies:

Total Fire Ban Rules

During a Total Fire Ban no fire may be lit in the open and all Fire permits are suspended. This includes incinerators and barbecues which burn solid fuel, e.g. wood or charcoal. 

You may use a gas or electric barbecue, but only if:

It is on a residential property within 20 metres of the house or dwelling
It is a picnic area and the appliance is approved by Council, National Parks or State Forest
It is under the direct control of a responsible adult
The ground within 2 metres of the barbecue is cleared of all materials which could burn
You have an immediate and continuous supply of water available 
A range of activities may be exempt from Total Fire Bans, such as emergency infrastructure work or ceremonial fires. The RFS Commissioner is responsible for exemptions to Total Fire Bans. These exemptions are detailed in the NSW Government Gazette each time a total fire ban is declared.

Lighting a fire on a day of Total Fire Ban attracts a fine of up to $5500 and/or 12 months gaol. Penalties for a fire that escapes and damages or destroys life, property or the environment can attract much greater fines and gaol terms with maximums at $100,000 and/or 14 years gaol. 

Civil law suits can also be brought against the person responsible for a fire by those seeking compensation for losses sustained.

Stolen from the NSW Rural Fire Service website. (I'm sure I'll get taxed on it)

IN OTHER WORDS -

In a total fire ban, unless at home or in a park using their "approved" bbq's with a constant flow of water (running tap)
You can forget lighting a BBQ or fire of any sort.

I love being penalised because someone who's only alive because its not worth going to jail over, set fire to something once and wrecked my enjoyment!!!!
Just shoot them and let those of us with an IQ higher than our shoe size, get on with life.

I love NSW...........

Brian

[Kit_e_kat9]

You can forget lighting a BBQ or fire of any sort.

You can still legally light a cigarette anywhere but 4 mtrs from a door (any door) or The Queen Street Mall here in Qld.  Doesn't say nothing about where some idiots can flick the butts though ... fire ban or no fire ban ... some morons still send them out the car window ...

Kit_e
P.S.  I'm a smoker.  I know what a butt bucket is and I use them.  Give The Flick, the flick!

[Squalo]

Just as a data point to this (kind of old) topic - I took an Ozpig to Fraser Island and camped in the fenced Waddy Point campground. The ranger came by and was quite happy with us burning milled timber - no need for manufactured fuel unless you want it specifically for whatever cooking you are doing.

Someone had given us some wood that was not completely milled (i.e. logs that had been saw-cut) and he said that type of wood was not allowed - it has to be completely milled.

[Mik01]

Yep' you can have an open fire on Fraser..at Dilli Village.....and you can burn nice big bits of bush timber..

As for taking a pig around Aus......I wouldn't bother.....just look for the places where you CAN have a fire..

Actually only Dundaburra and Waddy Point campgrounds with a fire ring. Otherwise totally prohibited. Ozpig probably ok within these camp grounds.

I was there couple of weeks back and if your site didn't have a fire ring but the neighbour did, then too bad.

[Nifty1]

I enquired about using a gas BBQ on a boat on the Gippsland Lakes during a fire ban - seemed pretty risk-free to me. I was advised that not only would that be illegal, it was also not permitted to even light a cigarette within 5 km of the coast! I reckon you might get away with it though.

[Moggy]

Someone had given us some wood that was not completely milled (i.e. logs that had been saw-cut) and he said that type of wood was not allowed - it has to be completely milled.

Did they give you a reason why? I dont understand the difference, particularly in an enclosed recepticle like an " oz pig".

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

[Squalo]

No specific reason, but the inference appeared to be that if it wasn't completely milled then perhaps it came from the bush on the island.

Fair enough I think, it's not hard to byo firewood. I have no problem with the regulations, that's why I sprung for an Ozpig

[Squalo]

Actually only Dundaburra and Waddy Point campgrounds with a fire ring. Otherwise totally prohibited. Ozpig probably ok within these camp grounds.

I was there couple of weeks back and if your site didn't have a fire ring but the neighbour did, then too bad.

You reminded me of something else. On the morning of day two we watched a heap of campers packing up, and I noticed some guys rolling a fire ring away from a recently vacated campsite. At first I thought it seemed to be a good idea - grab a fire ring, have a real fire.

When the ranger rolled around I mentioned this to him and he told me that at the start of the year they had put 20 fire rings in at the Waddy Point camp ground. Terrific, right? Nope. People had immediately started doing what I had witnessed, and because they are not made for it they collapse, and the 20 was now down to 4... and I think he was being generous, because I walked the entire campground one morning and saw only 2 fire rings.

He was calm as he told me about the fire rings, but I could see the frustration in his eyes.

Anyway the good news is that the fire rings will be replaced, but this time with steel fire rings that cannot be relocated. So they are appreciative of the fact that people want to have fires, which is great.

[Mik01]

You reminded me of something else. On the morning of day two we watched a heap of campers packing up, and I noticed some guys rolling a fire ring away from a recently vacated campsite. At first I thought it seemed to be a good idea - grab a fire ring, have a real fire.

When the ranger rolled around I mentioned this to him and he told me that at the start of the year they had put 20 fire rings in at the Waddy Point camp ground. Terrific, right? Nope. People had immediately started doing what I had witnessed, and because they are not made for it they collapse, and the 20 was now down to 4... and I think he was being generous, because I walked the entire campground one morning and saw only 2 fire rings.

He was calm as he told me about the fire rings, but I could see the frustration in his eyes.

Anyway the good news is that the fire rings will be replaced, but this time with steel fire rings that cannot be relocated. So they are appreciative of the fact that people want to have fires, which is great.

Yeah I had a good chat with the ranger. We had planned on meals using the fire, but our site had the ring removed and he said we couldn't have a fire. So someone had taken the ring from our site which was a dedicated fire site.
Everyone could see I had bought firewood etc. so the camp that took mine came over when they were packing up and offered to bring it back - so we carried it back.
Ranger said that they would replace with steel rings as you say, but that would be the last, and then fires would be permanently banned.
I don't understand if fires are permitted in an enclosed ring or receptacle, then any camp site within the ground should be able to have one if you byo a ring - or advertise that an ozpig or similar is the only approved fire.

[Footy Shorts Shane]

Did they give you a reason why? I dont understand the difference, particularly in an enclosed recepticle like an " oz pig".

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

I asked this once on Fraser and the reply I got was to reduce the risk of introducing unwanteds onto the island. Typically milled timber is free from anything living or growing in or on it compared to bush wood.

Shane.

[gronk]

Actually only Dundaburra and Waddy Point campgrounds with a fire ring. Otherwise totally prohibited. Ozpig probably ok within these camp grounds.

I was there couple of weeks back and if your site didn't have a fire ring but the neighbour did, then too bad.

AND at Dilli village.......because it's privately owned and has nothing to do with Nat Parks.

You can have a fire on the ground and you can burn any sort of timber you bring with you....although technically you may not legally be allowed to transport it from the barge up the beach to Dilli ( probably never been tested ).

[austastar]

cheers

[JD-120]

AND at Dilli village.......because it's privately owned and has nothing to do with Nat Parks.

You can have a fire on the ground and you can burn any sort of timber you bring with you....although technically you may not legally be allowed to transport it from the barge up the beach to Dilli ( probably never been tested ).

last time we stayed at cathedrals, open fires were also allowed....again, think this is privately owned