Burn ban woes dampen camping. This past month has been a roller coaster of to burn, or not to burn. With high fire dangers constantly being announced we are in a State of danger. This means winter camping is even harder than just just the normal concerns of freezing.
Burn bans mean no campfire songs and smores shared with glee. No staying warm huddled up with friends. As soon as the sun drops it’s lights out, and temperatures follow fast.
Since february 1st: Atoka, Beaver, Beckham, Bryan, Caddo, Carter, Cimmaron, Cotton, Comanche, Garvin, Grady, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnston, Kiowa, Love, Marshall, McClain, Murray, Stephens, Texas, Tillman, and Washita Counties have all been under a burn ban.
If you look at a map of the counties listed this covers all of the Wichita Wildlife Refuge. A hot spot for winter camping.
Refuge officials state that numbers have not been affected by the ban, and in fact visitors are up from this time last year. Of the course weather has been unpredictable, but has not turned many away.
When camping during burning restrictions it is very important to remember any spark or flame can get out of control even if it’s not on the ban list.
With that said, when burning regardless of restrictions one should not count on campfires to stay warm. You never know what nature is going to do so one should be prepared for all temperatures.
Layer is a must, but more is not always better. A good rule of thumb is to never wear cotton clothing against your skin. Even when it is cold out the lightest excursion can cause perspiration. Cotton is much harder to dry which can lead to your body temperature dropping. A good synthetic or wool first layer is recommended.
Billie Dunn, a Backwoods Sales Associate says “as far as clothing goes it really is specific to the person. A hot natured person isn’t wanting to have the same layers on as a cold natured person. With that being said, an appropriate base layer is recommended such Capilene or Icebreaker.”
When getting around fire issues stoves come in quite handy. Dunn said, “the Snowpeak Gigapower or the Jetboil system, both are ultra light and compact. Ideal for backpacking, hiking or short weekend trips with 1-2 people. For 2-8 the Dragonfly or Whisperlight by MSR. With these you are not restricted to just using the ISO butane / propane fuel, and both of these are great for international traveling.”
It all really boils down to listening to your body. If you feel it’s to cold, it probably is and wait to warmer days.
Girl vs. WIld,
Jacquelyn Farris
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