Bushwalk Australia

I want to know what meals people bring to over come eating dinner without using a stove during times of total fire ban. I know cous cous can be done without cooking.

Also I found this product which seems to be a pretty basic, but handy way of cooking without a flame. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_SSjLwQjb8 They can be pre ordered from http://www.trekmates.co.uk/online-shop/flameless-cook-system--pre-order

I am surprised that I can't find any other products that cook without flames. I watched someone use a ration pack from the UN that used a chemical reaction to heat water. I'm also surprised with the enormous range of click gel hand warmers etc. on the market that there isn't one suited for cooking.

Are there any others on the market??


I realize that gas stove reasonably safe, however, it's still in breach of the law. (Unless maybe you were in a hut??)

Hi.

Here's another one from NZ: BackCountry Cuisine Self heating Meals

Do you really go walking when there is a total fire ban? What if there was actually a fire?

Last thing I'd want to do, and national parks are closed in a TFB day anyway.

I guess, a coastal walk might be do-able?

Gas bbq are ok on fireban days as long as they are within X metres of a dwelling and suitably set up and supervised. Not sure if huts would qualify as a dwelling, but be worth checking your local fire authority.

photohiker wrote:Hi.

Here's another one from NZ: BackCountry Cuisine Self heating Meals

Looks like those are available in Queensland.

I've also seen these on US eBay. I have no idea if they're any good.

The US military has something called an MRE (Meal, Ready to Eat). Each pack comes with a chemical heater. I've used them before. I wouldn't say "tasty," but I suppose they'll do in the bush. The chemical heaters do work.

Then there are solar ovens. I saw a solar oven on eBay. You'll pardon me if I'm a little skeptical on that particular one (looks like the sun shield for my car), but as a concept...

HJ

Maelgwn wrote:Do you really go walking when there is a total fire ban? What if there was actually a fire?

Sometimes you can be on a multi day walk when they occur. it isnt that unreasonable.

hikin_jim wrote:

photohiker wrote:Hi.

Here's another one from NZ: BackCountry Cuisine Self heating Meals

Looks like those areavailable in Queensland.

HJ

Tried one of these earlier this year on the Bib track. Complete waste of time and money.
I was given one to test by a local army surplus store
1. Both my mates boiled water and made brews and one cooked bacon and eggs in the time it took to unsuccessfully heat up my meal.
2. Leaves you with a load of waste chemicals and wet stuff to carry (in my case for 5 days) as rubbish
Ended up having to boil more water to try and heat the meal after waiting 20mins for it to heat my meal.

The positives
1I got it for free to trial for the guys at the local army surplus store
2. It made my hands warm for a while. It was cold and wet outside the hut.
3. It gave my mates something to give me S#$%t about for the next 5 days
4. They still give me heaps at barbecues and its a rather hilarious topic of conversation after a couple of beers.

If you expect fire ban weather - hot and windy - why bother cooking. Go with a no cook menu. For example;

Dried hummus reconstitutes well in cold water, add olives, cheese, dried tomatoes and some flat bread. Plenty of other tasty, light, energy packed meals possible.

We've had this discussion previously elsewhere.

I've cooked with the stove sitting on a flat rock in the middle of a creek. Technically illegal, but perfectly safe.
And cooking inside huts/shelters is permitted, though I'd still limit it to stoves and not fires.

To add another degree of complexity to this discussion I've realised that the CFS (South Australia) differs from that of the CFA. I make the assumption that a gas camping stove is regarded as a gas bbq.

http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/restrictions/can.htm#cancant1

http://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/site/fire_restrictions/what_can_i_do_what_cant_i_do.jsp#CanIUseGasBBQ

I felt I was the odd one out at a coastal camping site in SA by not cooking. It would seem that in SA it was legal to camp where we were. However had it been Victoria then it would not have been legal.

Gusto wrote:To add another degree of complexity to this discussion I've realised that the CFS (South Australia) differs from that of the CFA. I make the assumption that a gas camping stove is regarded as a gas bbq.

http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/restrictions/can.htm#cancant1

http://www.cfs.sa.gov.au/site/fire_restrictions/what_can_i_do_what_cant_i_do.jsp#CanIUseGasBBQ

I felt I was the odd one out at a coastal camping site in SA by not cooking. It would seem that in SA it was legal to camp where we were. However had it been Victoria then it would not have been legal.

Did they have appropriate extinguishers at hand?

CFS wrote:An appropriate extinguisher is at hand.

I was at a drive in campsite. I didn't see any extinguishers. I presume they were in a handy location inside peoples caravans/vehicles etc. or just around the corner out of.

abmacus wrote:

photohiker wrote:one from NZ: BackCountry Cuisine Self heating Meals

The positives
1. I got it for free to trial for the guys at the local army surplus store
2. It made my hands warm for a while. It was cold and wet outside the hut.
3. It gave my mates something to give me S#$%t about for the next 5 days
4. They still give me heaps at barbecues and its a rather hilarious topic of conversation after a couple of beers.

In that case, I'd better pick up a few -- as gifts.

HJ

The Victorian CFA updated their guide lines about fire restrictions during 2012.

It's not legal to use a camping gas stove during a day of total fire ban. A Metho stove would still seem to be illegal. There are some conditions though

"Portable gas/electric barbecues or stoves may only be used where they are within 20 metres of a permanent dwelling, the area for 3 metres around and above the barbecue is completely cleared of all flammable material, an adult is in attendance at all times, a tap with a hose connected is ready for use and at least 10 litres of water is on hand."


http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/warnings-restrictions/can/

I think it is foolhardy to be out hiking in the bush on a fire ban day, particularly where potential fire bans days are generally advertised on ABC Local radio up to a week in advance of the declaration.

If you get caught out by a rapidly approaching fire, you generally won’t be able to outrun it and in most instances there will little avenue for escape.