Fire!

Around Europe campers sit outside at the close of the day - if the biting insects and weather allow - and chat with their neighbours, without the need to light a bonfire. But one thing we've noticed as we travel around here has been the American camper's desire for a good blaze.

There's a whole industry in supplying small bundles of wood - just enough to keep a fire going for a couple of hours.

 
It would be understandable if there was any need for warmth, but after a scorching hot day at thirty five to forty degrees centigrade, folks still have the need to light a fire when the sun goes down, Dressed in flimsy shorts and tee shirts they bask in the extra heat, and then retire to the RV where the air con has been blowing away keeping things cool.

And this is despite the fact that many of these campfires are lit in the middle of forests, where the risk of a fire spreading is at its greatest. Every camp site has a ring for burning wood.

Now why is this such a requirement over here? I've got a theory of course.






Surely it must go back to the romantic American idea of the early days of this country. When the rugged pioneers came in their wagons, a campfire provided light, heat and hot food. It gave protection from wild animals that may be lurking nearby. It gave security and peace of mind.

When the iconic cowboys herded their cattle hundreds of miles to market, it was at the campfire where they gathered at night to swap news and spin yarns. It's featured in so many films over the years that the idea of the great outdoors at night has to include the flickering flames of burning wood. (Who can forget the campfire scene in Blazing Saddles?)



                                     So over here, if there's no campfire, it's just not camping.

In Wisconsin, there's a sign: "Burning Permits Are Required."

I presume you just pop them onto the campfire.