[pct-l] Cooking within...

[David Ellzey]

I've used the tent's vestibule numerous times for preparing meals in inclement weather and never felt ventilation was a concern at all. The thing I REALLY pay attention to is the fire hazard. As Ned said, always have a plan to quickly eject the stove if it starts acting up. In my case, I leave the vestibule door open at least halfway and set up the stove near that opening.

BigToe

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Gary Wright
Sent: Monday, December 07, 2009 1:20 PM
To: PCT MailingList
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Cooking within...

Some data...

>From the CDC:
> In the United States during 1990-1994, portable fuel-burning camp stoves and lanterns were involved in 10-17 CO poisoning deaths each year, and charcoal grills were involved in 15-27 deaths each year (2). During this same time, an annual average of 30 fatal CO poisonings occurred inside tents or campers (2).
<http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4832a1.htm>

And from the Wilderness Medical Society:

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in Tents -- A Review:
<http://www.wemjournal.org/wmsonline/?request=get-document&issn=1080-6032&volume=015&issue=03&page=0157>

In scanning that info it sounds like the injuries and deaths are highly correlated to the amount of ventilation.  Snow caves, zipped up tents, and tents surrounded by snow seem to be particularly dangerous (when the stove is burning inside the enclosure). I don't think anyone on this list has advocated actually bringing the stove *inside* a closed up tent but it is always good to be aware of what *not* to do.

Gary Wright



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