How to use one safely
- 1Read the manufacturer's instructions — how the stove works, what fuel it takes, and how to light it safely.
- 2Set up outdoors on a stable, level surface — never inside a tent, vestibule, or enclosure, and away from anything flammable.
- 3Check the stove and fuel connection for leaks or damage before lighting; make sure canisters are seated and caps are liquid-tight.
- 4Light it per the instructions, keeping your face and body back — never with your head over it.
- 5Use the right windscreen — the manufacturer's, as designed. Never build a windscreen from a large pot or set the stove inside one; trapped heat can cause an explosion.
- 6Refuel safely — with the stove off and cool, away from flames, using the proper fuel container; wipe up spills and let fumes clear before relighting.
- 7Store spare fuel in its proper container, capped tight, away from ignition sources, buildings, and tents.
When to use it
- Backpacking and any trip where an open fire is impractical, banned, or Leave-No-Trace-unfriendly — a stove is often the better choice.
- High-adventure treks and above-treeline camping where wood is scarce or prohibited.
- Fast, controllable cooking and water treatment (boiling) in any weather.
Common mistakes & safety
- Never run a stove or any flame inside a tent or enclosure. Beyond the fire danger, fuel-burning gear produces carbon monoxide — colorless, odorless, and able to kill sleeping people without warning. Cook in open air.
- Never enclose a stove in a large pot as a windscreen. Trapped heat can build pressure and cause an explosion — use only the manufacturer's windscreen.
- Only use commercially made stoves. Homemade and modified stoves (including homemade alcohol stoves) are prohibited and a real hazard.
- Refuel only when the stove is off and cool, away from any flame — pouring fuel near heat can flash.
- Never use liquid fuel to start a campfire or light damp wood or charcoal — it flares dangerously and is against policy.
- Handle and store fuel carefully — proper containers, liquid-tight caps, away from ignition sources; clean up leaks.
- Have burn first aid ready and know your emergency contacts before you cook.
Going deeper
- Canister vs. liquid-fuel stoves. Canister (propane/isobutane) stoves are simple and clean but weaken in extreme cold; liquid-fuel (white gas) stoves need priming but perform in cold and at altitude.
- Stoves are often the responsible choice. Where fires are banned, wood is scarce, or Leave No Trace matters most, a stove cooks with far less impact than a fire.
- A vestibule is still an enclosure. Cooking under a rain fly or in a vestibule concentrates CO — the safe place is genuinely open air.
Official source
Fire safety with backpacking stoves — Scouting America →Chemical-fuel use is governed by the Guide to Safe Scouting; an adult knowledgeable about chemical fuels should supervise.