Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Campfire Requirements in South Dakota


There seems to be some confusion about the fire restrictions in national forest lands in South Dakota.  The order from May 2014 is called an "Open Fire Prohibition".  You can read the order for your self by clicking here.

The brief summary is that campfire's outside a developed campground are prohibited unless you obtain a permit from the USFS or the state.  Enclosed stoves are permitted.

The 1998 gathering in Arizona and the 2006 gathering in Colorado operated in this manner. Each camp or kitchen that wanted a fire got their own permit.  In 2006 in Colorado, USFS staff issues permits on site after inspecting the proposed setup.

Please do not take this post to mean I favor or disfavor a gathering in South Dakota. I'm providing the facts as so many people seem to be confused about the ordinance. I strongly recommend you read it for yourself.
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3 comments:

  1. Scott de Santa FeJune 10, 2015 at 10:11 AM

    Thanks Karin. This is helpful!

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownJune 14, 2015 at 5:10 AM

    Very helpful! Does this mean no bliss pits?

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJune 14, 2015 at 1:26 PM

    Oddly enough, this ordinance aligns with the idea of "less (no) personal campfires, please use community fires instead" which the gathering has tried to spread through out the years.

    Though, in a twist of irony that only the confluence of the gathering and the government can bring about, any individual may seek to acquire a permit for their fire.

    So, as I understand it so far, there may be some individuals who seek to step up and "officially" have a fire, by signing a permit and taking responsibility for their fire, which they then share it's warmth and light with the family.

    Any pits will be need to be on paper and permitted, so bring your PROPANE gear for camp!

    I foresee a shiny (lots of lights), mostly smoke-free gathering, with perhaps only a few larger pits for the community to share this year. .... PROPANE!

    ReplyDelete

Please keep your comments to the point. Any comments advocating violence, sexism or racism will not be published. You don't have to agree with me, but you can't cuss me or anyone else out either. As of 6/11/15 I'm not sure how I will be publishing comments. Too many people just submitting the same comment over and over again and I'm overwhelmed by trying to sort this out. So feel free to comment, but understand I may not be approving all comments.