Tent Fires! Seen any?

[KingofDerby]

A story I keep hearing is of a civil war (english!) do one summer during a bit of a drought...

Wadding from a cannon caught the grass on fire, people got it under control, until a police helicopter came over and hovered right over it...fanned the flame in to an inferno, spread quick then and destroyed a few cars. Police refused to accept responsibility for making it a problem.

 

[Billnpatti]

Yep, the historically correct water proofing materials used on tents, tarps, etc. was not flame retardant. If you choose to or must use those things, just keep in mind that you are sleeping in what amounts to a large wick.

 

[nhmoose]

As a Professional FF for 25 + years I can say no. They are toast by the time a response is on scene.

Be careful folks as a camper for 50 plus years, I did see a few tents that have caught fire and were stopped by attentive folk. Note the tents still needed replacement as it would be less costly than to repair, but nobody got hurt and all possessions were saved.

 

[Joe Yanta]

About 20 years ago me and about 5 other hunting partners set a good size elk camp. We had two 10'x12' canvas duct wall tents, one with the rear wall removed and set up over lapping the other for basically a 10'x20' tent that we all slept in. It was heated by a U.S. G.I. multi fuel pot stove we ran coal in.

The other tent was a 14' x 16' wall tent with 5' walls. It too was heated with a G.I. pot stove and coal. This was our cook and socializing tent. In the front of the tent we laid a 3' x 3' wooden pallet down and constructed a curtain so we could bathe.

After about 5 days it was time to do just that ...bathe. After the morning hunt and in the afternoon we all took a bath, rolled up the sides of the sleeping tent a took one of those afternoon naps. A wonderful experience I'm sure some of you have experienced.

The last hunter bathing, for reasons quite unknown happened to pick up a small tarp an lay it on the top of heating stove when he was walking out to go join the rest of up who were napping.

I was woke up by a sound like ferocious wind and crackling cellophane. I stepped out of the sleeping tent and saw the cook tent totally engulfed in flames. The flames were 40 feet high, swirling around and looked like an upside down tornado.

By the time I sounded the alarm and mustered everyone out it was all over. It only took a few minutes to burn. We stomped out the few small fires left burning.

When they go up, they go up fast.

Joe

 

[satx78247]

Once I was present at a Scout camp 4+ decades ago, when a Forester tent caught fire from sparks from a campfire in a night of high wind. = QUICK "burn down" & thankfully nobody hurt.

yours, satx

 

[Bear Rider]

I was at an event some years back where a regular tarp being used as a fly caught fire. It went up like a piece of paper. The older flame-proofed tent that one end of the tarp was laying across suffered a hole just big enough to stick your finger through.

My canvas is flame-proofed.

 

[satx78247]

My canvas is flame-proofed.

WISE man are you!!

yours, satx

 

[Bear Rider]

My canvas is flame-proofed.

WISE man are you!!

yours, satx

Just someone who survived his young and dumb period (and shakes his head in wonder every time that he thinks back over that LONG period of my life).

Now. I'm just careful. Having survived my REAL idiocy, I'd hate to go out over something that easily avoided.