Situations may arise, however, when a fire must or will be built, such as in an emergency, or in areas where fires are still allowed. Techniques outlined below will help you Leave No Trace if you have a fire. All backcountry visitors should remember that in the heavily traveled wildlands of the Northeast, a fire should be viewed as a tool to be used only when necessary, and that the decision to construct one should never be made arbitrarily. Know and follow fire restrictions and always carry a stove. Fires are often banned in sensitive environments, where high use levels have caused excessive impact, and during dry spells when forest fire danger is high.
Wind also presents a danger when a fire is burning.
Wherever signs of overuse of fires are present, such as the forest floor barren of sticks and downed wood or branches broken off of standing or downed trees, fires should not be built. Proper planning includes carrying a stove for cooking and carrying a flashlight or candle lantern for light. Make your fire small and safe. If you build a fire, do so with a conscious commitment to do it in a way that will leave no lasting impact on the environment. Campfires should only be built if there is abundant dead and downed wood gathered from the ground away from camp.