Fire Pan for Restricted Areas. What do you use?

[BJ'sFJ]

Hey Everyone!

I do a lot of camping out in Anza Borrego State Park and other areas that require Fires to be in metal containers.
I did some searching and didn't find a thread designated to fire pans/pits. Looking for a compact solution that I can have a decent sized fire in.
The dryer drum is very popular but would take up a lot of space in my FJ. Metal trash can lid is ok but doesn't actually help contain the ash and debris.
I looked at the snowpeak large fire place but it seems very expensive for the size.


What do you use while camping in restricted areas? :sombrero:





* I will update the OP with pictures of setups to help other people find what is best for their camp *

- Galvanized Radiator Drain Pan
- Washing Machine or Dryer Tub
- Wok
- Snowpeak Fire Pit
- Firebowl propane fire pit
- Tuffy camping firepan
- Charcoal pan from smoker
- food service steam table pan
- Bottom of water heater tank

 

[Herbie]

I use a galvanized oil-change or livestock feed pan:

I mounted mine on a tripod so I could use it as a grill and Dutch-Oven stand (grill raises and lowers on cables, oven is on a chain hook), but the basic pan is super cheap and could be used on a short stand or even just up on a couple of rocks. It contains the ashes/coals better than a "flat" pan, but packs much better than a full washing-machine tub. (Although those are still the best desert fire rig, if you have the room for one.) The tripod breaks down to 30" long, and the fire pan, charcoal chimney, and all the dutch oven gear (welding gloves, lid lifter, etc.) all store within the volume of the pan itself, and I transport that in a cheap 16" dutch oven bag.

The only negative of this pan is that it's just BARELY large enough for the "regular" length of wood in your typical store-bought firewood bundles. I have to be judicious about how much wood I add at a time, lest I overflow the pan.

I'm probably going to make a new stand for the pan soon so I can use it elevated without having the whole tripod. We've learned that having it elevated works out great. It puts the heat closer to your face/chest, so you can feel the warmth, even with a tiny fire going (sometimes we only get enough wood going to do a few s'mores).

EDIT: I have a picasa album with more details on my tripod here.

 

[1MK]

Great thread. Need some ideas as well. Have been using a small metal trash can. The lid works OK for a pan, and is nice to have a way to store the embers.

Something nicer is always a plus.

 

[BJ'sFJ]

I use a galvanized oil-change or livestock feed pan:


I mounted mine on a tripod so I could use it as a grill and Dutch-Oven stand (grill raises and lowers on cables, oven is on a chain hook), but the basic pan is super cheap and could be used on a short stand or even just up on a couple of rocks. It contains the ashes/coals better than a "flat" pan, but packs much better than a full washing-machine tub. (Although those are still the best desert fire rig, if you have the room for one.) The tripod breaks down to 30" long, and the fire pan, charcoal chimney, and all the dutch oven gear (welding gloves, lid lifter, etc.) all store within the volume of the pan itself, and I transport that in a cheap 16" dutch oven bag.

The only negative of this pan is that it's just BARELY large enough for the "regular" length of wood in your typical store-bought firewood bundles. I have to be judicious about how much wood I add at a time, lest I overflow the pan.

I'm probably going to make a new stand for the pan soon so I can use it elevated without having the whole tripod. We've learned that having it elevated works out great. It puts the heat closer to your face/chest, so you can feel the warmth, even with a tiny fire going (sometimes we only get enough wood going to do a few s'mores).

EDIT: I have a picasa album with more details on my tripod here.

Thanks for posting up! I like the elevated idea. It is a bummer that the pan is pretty tight with store bought firewood.
Maybe I need to find a 20" pan like the one you used.

 

[Herbie]

You might search for "Radiator Drain Pan" or "Water Heater Drain Pan", I think there might be something there. The other possibility is one of those "discount" stores like TJMaxx/HomeGoods/Marshalls. I frequently see galvanized tubs, trashcans, etc. there for cheap...

 

[Tazman]

We used a bucket from a washing machine. A steel plate was welded on the bottom, with screw in legs. It took up room but was surprisingly effective. The small drain holes that are all over it, give so much oxygen, that there was virtually NO smoke. A little torch work could cut it down even further.

 

[thefishhawk]

Rafters talk about fire pans ad nauseum, search a site like mountainbuzz.com and you get a lot of ideas. If you are floating through national parks or monuments they are pretty strict about the regs/size/elevated, etc. etc. and it's required equipment you have to take.

this is a pretty standard setup but there are a lot of cheap options out there.

legs slide out and store inside with the grill, the aluminum piece it's sitting on is the lid. They come in a couple different sizes, a kind of standard 15x24" and a big 18x30. they aren't super cheap though but last a few lifetimes. there are a lot of options out there but these are only a 3ish" thick when folded up so storage/transport is easy.

 

[1leglance]

propane fire pit solves all the problems of smoke, burn restrictions and packs small and easy

 

[RobRed]

I have a Snowpeak fire pit that breaks down flat.

 

[nucktaco]

im not sure if a propane firepit is what you are looking for but i bought the "firebowl" listed below due to the fireban throughout BC every summer. works great no matter the conditions and have used it to keep a cabin warm in -20C weather a couple years back (with a couple windows cracked for airflow). using a standard bbq propane tank ive been able to get 4-5 nights of use out of it running it for 6-8 hours on low.

http://www.costco.ca/Outland-Portable-Fire-Bowl-Premium.product.100159544.html

picked mine up for $90 CDN on sale and i use a round bbq grate off my charcoal and you can cook on it too.

 

[BJ'sFJ]

Something a friend sent me last night was the Tuffy camping firepan. $164.00
https://www.tuffyproducts.com/p-219-tuffy-camping-firepan.aspx

Looks like a decent option!

 

[brentbba]

x2 on the Outland firebowl when there are burn bans. OK heat on a cold night. As the OP stated, washing machine tubs are big, but that's what I use when I can have a wood fire. I've had the same one for about 10 years now, but then again, I've got room up on my roof rack for it and the wood.

 

[762X39]

I use a charcoal pan from a smoker that was in the garbage up the street. My reason was not for fire bans but to contain the campfire so that I could "leave no trace" as well as limit the size of the fire. I use cut up skids so I cut the wood shorter than most people use but it fits the pan and my setup.

 

[pugslyyy]

I use a stainless steel food service steam table pans. They come in all sorts of different sizes and are pretty easy to come by used. I find the rectangular shape to be pretty space-efficient for storage.

 

[Lucky j]

What about to bottom part of a water heater tank? Always free when the are discard, just cut the hight you want.