Fireplace etiquette

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Fireplace etiquette

Postby Rog » Mon 09 Apr, 2018 2:38 pm

Hi all,
I was out on the Bogong High Plains over the Easter break with my long time team of four
camped at Ryders Huts. Late in the afternoon we decided to build a fire in the large communal firepit
there. We had collected wood and I was just about to light up when a guy comes running out of the
hut telling us we cant have a fire because quote "it might burn holes in his expensive Hilleberg tent"
which he had erected 5m downwind from the fireplace and he wasn't about to move it. He was very
forceful, made sure to let us know he was leading a group from a "large organisation" and that if we
wanted to sit by a fire we could come into the hut where he and his group of around 10 were enjoying
a fire inside.
All of my team were appalled by his arrogance, but we didn't take it further because we don't go out
into the bush to start arguing with people, nor did we want to go into the hut because we go bushwalking
to get away from it all, not be crammed inside a hut with 10 others.
Later he came over to our camp and invited us in the hut again saying he had told his people to make room
for us, but we declined. He offered the same to all at Ryders that night and as far as I could tell no-one took
him up on it (it was close to bedtime).
The next morining other campers came over and laughed with us about his behaviour, it was good to have their
moral support.
Just wondering whether I should write to his organisation and let them know one of their walk leaders is
representing them in a poor fashion or just let it go as a small blemish on what was a most enjoyable trip?

Cheers, Rog
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Re: Fireplace etiquette

Postby Warin » Mon 09 Apr, 2018 3:11 pm

My response. If you place your tent close to an established fire pit then you can expect a fire that close to your tent.
If you don't want a fire close to your tent .. don't put it near an established fire pit.
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Re: Fireplace etiquette

Postby Moondog55 » Mon 09 Apr, 2018 3:17 pm

What a w*nker is my first thought
It is the established etiquette to offer to share a fire not to demand one not be lit; unless naturally there is a total fire ban in place. My second very unkind thought would be to light a huge fire and hope said person got lots and lots of holes in his ill-placed tent
But then I am an acknowledged cranky old b*rst*d, not known for being tolerant or patient
Yep Write said "Large organisation" and give them your thoughts, make sure to give a physical description and the dates of the encounter.
Third thoughts are that honey, jam and treacle are well known to attract certain annoying insects
Ve are too soon old und too late schmart
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Re: Fireplace etiquette

Postby Avatar » Mon 09 Apr, 2018 3:21 pm

You have got to expect all sorts of petty annoyances when you are camped near others.
I am not big on campfires but when something similar happened to me on a very cramped site I just moved my tent and hoped no-one would notice how annoyed I was so they could enjoy their fire in the scrub.
I made it a point to sit near the fire later to cover for this.

You should also have taken him up on his offer. You might have enjoyed the company of that group and not feel so upset now.
Get over it and take this as a sign you are happier when camped on your own piece of wilderness. You need to get more remote or suffer these vexatious irritants.
Rather than have a barney you would have been better off to shift camp to a better site anyway.

A story, this time related to hut etiquette. One time I rocked up to a snowbound hut lathered in sweat from the climb up in fresh snowfall to find a man, 3 women and 6 teenagers had completely taken over the hut with packs, sleeping mats and food.
Hardly a spare inch of floor space. Not one tent among them. After I stripped off my steaming top thermals to dry out for 40 minutes I went on my way, still daylight, finding an empty hut higher up. :D
Last edited by Avatar on Tue 10 Apr, 2018 12:00 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Fireplace etiquette

Postby Nuts » Mon 09 Apr, 2018 3:31 pm

Parks and the huts associations have guidelines in place requiring that commercial groups don't use huts for overnight camping unless in an emergency. I'd expect you'll find similar in the code of conduct for community organisations.
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Re: Fireplace etiquette

Postby Lamont » Mon 09 Apr, 2018 3:35 pm

You did him a simple kindness. It doesn't sound like any bushwalking etiquette is involved. Provided of course you and he were both able to do what you did. Put the tent where it was and to light a fire in the open in that spot.
If so he is what the Germans call an "arschloch" (ha- wont be edited). The sort of person that establishes rules that seem "fair to them", certainly egocentric, narcissistic. You did him that kindness when he sounds like he didn't deserve it. Of course should you have the same difficulty again with such an
arschloch.... I suggest sporks at ten paces!
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Re: Fireplace etiquette

Postby north-north-west » Mon 09 Apr, 2018 3:37 pm

Funny, I've been on the other side of this some years back, camped near Cascade Hut. Foursome turned up well after I'd set up and unpacked, took over the hut, and proceeded to light a *&%$#! bonfire less than three metres from my (expensive Hilleberg) tent. There were other firerings they could have used even if there wasn't a fireplace in the hut (don't know, never been inside).

They were not at all apologetic when I pointed out the potential for damage to my tent, nor inclined to reduce the size of the fire or move it, so I packed up and moved - swearing audibly and extensively the whole time.
"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens."
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Re: Fireplace etiquette

Postby Aardvark » Tue 10 Apr, 2018 5:16 am

You can do many things to reduce the liklihood of such circumstances but the only way to eliminate the chance of it happening is to avoid people and fires.
Will complaining get you the result you want? It is not likely to change anyone's behaviour.
Ever on the search for a one ended stick.
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Re: Fireplace etiquette

Postby Xplora » Tue 10 Apr, 2018 7:55 am

Aardvark wrote:You can do many things to reduce the liklihood of such circumstances but the only way to eliminate the chance of it happening is to avoid people and fires.


The best way to avoid people on BHP is not to camp near huts. If ever you wanted a people magnet in the bush, just erect a hut.
Maybe this person will be involved in this conversation at some time. There is always another side of the story but on the face of it (with only one side depicted) I would have offered to help him move his tent. I also would not have joined in on the fire inside the hut but if a genuine offer then it was nice. I suspect he may have felt a little embarrassed about the manner he approached you at first and was wanting to set things right. He should have known better than to set a tent up near a fire but then if the wind was blowing embers 5m then maybe you should not have had a fire lit outside. I doubt anything definitive will come from this discussion. I would just let it go.
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Re: Fireplace etiquette

Postby ErichFromm » Tue 10 Apr, 2018 12:38 pm

I'm probably just a rude, grumpy, git - but I would've just had a fire anyway. A designated firepit is just that... People will keep "enforcing" what they want on others unless there is push back....
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