Ninety percent of the time I cook with a small stove.

1) necessary if I get to a park/camping area and a fire ban is on
2) quicker to fire up
3) heat is easier to control
4) will light even when conditions are not ideal (e.g., day long rain).

The clear downside is the extra weight (which for me is mostly in the fuel--I carry a light weight stove).

All that said, I still love a camp fire and will occassionally use it for cooking.

dd

I use a full size Coleman stove.  It gives a sturdy base and has two burners.  Wood is a lot of work, messy and hard on the knees.  We always make a "table" by tieing two pole to two trees and putting a webbing around the two poles.  Once it is setup we can cook standing up plus have a place to put dishes next to the stove.  The table is also very handy for doing dishes.  The table also comes in  handy when it is  time to eat.

'Westwood.

from Akula's reply, I'd guess that he is a base camper.  Cooking over a fire works ok for that style of canoe camping.

Me, I travel every day but 1 - last few years, that's 1 layover day out of 11 or 12 days in, covering 130 to 150 miles or so, with lots of portages.  I don't have the time to "cook", not the desire to "cook" on a canoe trip.  All I ever do is boil water, the only exception being maybe to cook fish over a fire on the one layover day.  If I took time to "cook", I'd have to alter my plans, shorten my loop, spend less time paddling - don't want to do that.  "Cooking" over an open fire is not a part of why I go to Quetico.   I might have a small fire in the evening to burn trash, or I might only do that every 3rd day or so - minimul wood needed for that.  If its been raining steady for the last three days, I don't bother at all.  At camp, I want to relax, not "work" to gather and cut and maybe split wood.

So a stove - the small and lighter the better - is the way I go.

Stove (Pocket Rocket).
Why? Faster and cleaner. Easier to control heat.
If I spend a day or two base camping I will cook some fish or breakfast over a fire.

The Beaver

I'd fall into the 50/50 group on this one.  When cooking for a group of more than 5 people, I'd say cooking over a fire is just about a necessity.  Besides, there are many to share in the camp chores.  However, I find that for smaller crews, 1 or 2 backpacking stoves is all you need.

Cooking over fire certainly is a dying art form.  You'd be surprised at how many boy scouts go to the BW & Quet. without ever having cooked on a fire.  Sure, they can build a roaring bonfire pretty quickly, but most don't know how to tend a good cooking fire worth a darn. 

There's just something so amazingly relaxing about taking your time to prepare a fire and cooking over it.  But then... I rarely draw dish duty...

We started out with the notion that only girly-men used stoves. That "roughing it" mentality lasted maybe 7 years or so. I know I caught hell the first year I brought a stove. That was the year a fly, that stove and the same 3 pristine packages of freeze-dried everyone made fun of for a week, avoided what would have otherwise been a miserable night. They all came out of their soggy little tents after a little prodding only to rave about freeze-dried Mandarin Orange Chicken and the stove.

These days I cook over what works best for the situation and dish. If half the meal is prepared over the fire while the other half is on the stove all at the same time, that works just fine for me. It's more a question of the right tool and mood.

Coffee? Fire makes much better coffee but the stove is easier. If the last pot was made over a fire, I know it'll have one more great tasting brew left in it for the camp stove or even my electric stove at home.

I seem to recall this from somewhere... and one of you may likely be able to dispute it...but I think that from an environmental standpoint, burning ISO butane or propane is actually more environmentally friendly that burning wood for a campfire meal.

Counter intuitive, I know. (and I could be full of loon crap).

The Beaver

For the past 5 years at least I have used a propane 2 burner stove to cook.  It is so much easier than finding firewood.  Sure, we have to carry the canisters and stove.  Each canister lasts 2 days. 

If we want a night fire , then we go find wood.

In my opinion part of fun of camping is having a fire to set around and talk about the days events and any other topic that may arise.  So you might as well cook on the fire as well.

Solus wrote on Jan 23^rd, 2009 at 4:43pm:

That's an interesting point. So what about a wood fire considering that same Carbon will be released by burning or rotting anyway, no?

Of course I'm never so pleased by my stove (or drawn to its heat) that I keep it going for hours......

I agree with Firechief: "In my opinion part of fun of camping is having a fire to set around and talk about the days events and any other topic that may arise.  So you might as well cook on the fire as well. "

Even solo, I like having a fire so I figure I might as well cook over it.  However, I always bring a stove and don't hesitate to use it.  Mostly for wet weather or when I'm just too pooped to collect wood and build a fire.

I have two friends that even want a morning fire, so when they are along I cook breakfast on the fire as well.  Otherwise I make breakfast on the stove.

I don't think the discussion is about whether or not to have a fire, but rather whether you cook on a stove OR a fire OR both.

I do almost all my cooking on a stove, but certainly enjoy having a fire for warmth and ambiance.

Akula wrote on Mar 3^rd, 2009 at 3:48am:


I wonder how Quetico park officials would react to a "can" stove ... since cans are banned from the park.   

I even had one question me about my container for shoe-string potatoes, as I consumed them at an entry point ... the cardboard tube has metal end-caps ... as the park official said "that's a can!"

dd

FWIW - You can bring in cans and bottles that are not food or beverage. For example, a can of gas or an aerosol can of Off is allowed.

These are the Ontario Rules and Regs - note the difference between "fire season" and "Restricted Fire Zone" (i.e. fire ban off or on)


"The Regulations deal with the use of stoves and installations during the fire season (April 1st to October 31st) and during Restricted Fire Zone periods. Use the following as your guide:"

Campfires:

You can enjoy a campfire during the fire season provided it’s built on bare rock, soil or other non-combustible material. Your campfire must be at least 1 metre away from any flammable material; at least 3 metres away from any overhanging vegetation and your campfire cannot exceed 1 metre in diameter and 1 metre in height.

Campfires are prohibited during a Restricted Fire Zone. The only exception is in an organized campground and only if the campground owner/operator decides it is safe to do so. In these situations, strict campfire rules must be adhered to. Your campground owner/operator will provide you with the rules when campfires are allowed.



Portable Gas, Propane or Naphtha Stoves:

You can use your portable gas, propane or naphtha stove anytime during the fire season, even in a Restricted Fire Zone, provided the stove is at least 1 metre from any flammable material. The stove must also be designed to use gas, propane or naphtha and you must be able to extinguish the flame by a control valve or by closing the stove.



Portable Wood Burning Stoves:

The stove must be at least 1 metre from any flammable material
The stove must be designed for cooking or providing warmth
The stove must be made entirely of non-combustible materials
The ashes and coals produced through burning must be completely extinguished and safely disposed of before the stove is moved

Charcoal Installations (BBQs, Hivachis, etc.):

You can use your portable or permanent charcoal installation during the fire season provided the installation is at least 1 metre from any flammable material and the ashes and coals produced through burning are completely extinguished and safely disposed of.

You can continue to enjoy barbecuing during a restricted fire zone provided you are in an organized campground and the owner/operator decides it is safe to do so, or you are barbecuing within 100 metres of a dwelling that you occupy (i.e. summer cottage, camp, home).



Outdoor Wood Burning Stoves and Wood Burning Furnaces


Anyone who uses an outdoor wood burning stove or wood burning furnace anytime during the fire season must ensure the following regulations are met:


The stove or furnace must be at least 5 metres from the forest and at least 2 metres from any flammable material
The area surrounding your stove or furnace at ground level must be non-combustible material extending for 2 metres in all directions
The stove or furnace must be designed for cooking or warmth; made entirely of non-combustible material; enclosed on all sides and have working spark arresting devices on all vents and chimneys


You can continue to enjoy the use of your outdoor wood burning stove or furnace during a Restricted Fire Zone provided it is within 100 metres of a dwelling that you occupy and you meet the above mentioned regulations.

SO,

The way I read it, only a gas/naptha stove or a propane/canister stove can be used when there is a fire ban.  The only exception for a wood burning stove is if it is within 100 meters of a dwelling ( I assume that does not include tent) and has spark arrestors, etc as per the above.

Note that the rule on "completely enclosed and have spark arrestors on all vents and chimneys" is in effect during fire season, as well as restricted fire zone - so it sounds like that is a requirement for anytime during the summer.  So while a campfire does not have to have a spark arrestor on vents, a stove does - at all times - may not be logical, but that's what it says.

Seems to be blank of any mention of alchohol stove, but typically, if something is not expressly allowed, then it is not allowed.  Probably ok except during a fire ban, but maybe not.