[pct-l] Stove canisters

[Paul]

On Wednesday 09 December 2009, Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com 
wrote:
> I'll admit that I started about 4 fires with my alcohol stoves. I put
>   them all out, however. Always cook with a full bottle of water at
> the ready. Sometimes even dirt will start on fire, especially is you
> are like me and are used to living in the arid west where dirt really
> is dirt and not just ground up wood.

Also quilty of (nearly) starting a fire. Cleared a spot of loose pine 
needles in the lee of a large tree and started up an MSR wisper. After 
boiling a litre of water and finished eating, I noticed faint smoke 
rising from around were the stove had been used. Doused the entire area 
in several gallons of water and stirred the ground up real well. 
Learned it was not enough to clear away just the surface duff - Need to 
go down to subsoil to be absolutely sure.

Also had a canister stove topple over, fortunately only rocks to burn, 
so only lost the food that I'd been cooking. Now I sit the canister 
between three tent pegs and strap the whole lot up.

Only used a alchol burner in the Lake District so far - With the rain 
they have had up there lately, wildfires are highly unlikely.