Camp fires, fuel stoves and barbecues
Camp fires are allowed in some Queensland parks and forests—it's a good idea to bring a portable fuel stove or use on-site barbecues which are provided at many camping areas.
Breathe easy knowing smoking is restricted in camping areas. You are not allowed to smoke within 10 metres of any national park campsite.
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There are many parks and forests throughout Queensland where you can camp and have a camp fire.
Conditions of use
- Where camp fires are allowed, use the fireplaces and fire rings provided.
- Firewood is rarely supplied so bring your own clean-milled firewood, such as untreated mill cut-offs. Never collect firewood or kindling from the park—everything, including dead branches, are protected by law.
- Do not light or maintain a camp fire during a Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) imposed fire prohibition or total fire ban.
- Always check the weather conditions in your camping area before lighting a fire. Do not light or maintain a camp fire on dry, windy days.
Camp fire safety
Most camp fire victims are kids aged 2½.
Treat any burns immediately with cool, running water then seek urgent medical help.
Prevent camp fire burns:
- Ensure your camp fire is positioned in cleared area with no overhanging branches—at least 2 m away from tents and that other camping equipment is stored well away, especially flammable items.
- Never leave a camp fire unattended.
- Always put the fire out with water before going to bed or when you leave your campsite—use water, not sand, which keep their heat and can cause severe burns. Even a few glowing embers can start a wildfire.
More information on camp fire safety
- Camp fire and camping safety information sheet from the Queensland Fire Department.
Where can I have a camp fire?
Find out which parks and forests in each region allow camp fires:
Statewide | Around Brisbane | Around Townsville | Cape York Peninsula | Central Coast | Central Highlands | Mackay/Proserpine | North Queensland | Outback Queensland | Sunshine Coast | West of Brisbane
Fuel stoves and barbecues
Fuel stoves and on-site barbecues are good alternatives in areas where camp fires are not allowed.
Fuel stoves
It is a good idea to bring your own fuel stove or barbecue for cooking and heating, along with the appropriate manufactured fuel for the appliance. Certain stoves, called ‘specified cooking and heating appliances’ and may be used even when camp fires are not allowed during Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS)-imposed fire prohibitions and fire bans (conditions apply).
- Specified cooking and heating appliances are portable, fully self-contained heating and cooking appliances that uses manufactured fuel.
- Manufactured fuels do not include wood or timber, but include a wide range of commercially available, non-toxic products such as gas, liquid and solid fuels e.g. hexamine fuel blocks, briquettes or heat beads. Generally these appliances should stand at least 20 cm off the ground.
There are many benefits to using specified cooking and heating appliances. They are a safe, easy, compact and more sustainable option for camp cooking and heating.
On-site barbecues
Many of our parks and forests provide free barbecues—gas, electric or wood—in the camping or day-use areas.
- Some barbecues are coin operated so check the park facility information.
- If the park has wood-fuelled barbecues, wood is rarely supplied, so bring your own clean-milled wood, such as untreated mill cut-offs.
- Watch out for no smoking signs. Remember: smoking is prohibited within 10 m of barbecues, picnic tables and other public facilities.
Where are barbecues provided?
Find out which parks and forests in each region provide barbecues:
Statewide | Around Brisbane | Around Townsville | Cape York Peninsula | Central Coast | Central Highlands | Mackay/Proserpine | North Queensland | Outback Queensland | Sunshine Coast | West of Brisbane
Fire prohibitions and bans
Queensland Fire Department
The Queensland Fire Department declare a fire ban when conditions indicate that fires would be difficult to control and pose a danger to communities. Normally a declared fire ban will cover an entire local government area, including parks and forests.
Fire bans are advertised widely and remain in force until cancelled. Information can be obtained from the Queensland Fire Department.
When a fire ban is in place, the lighting of fires in the declared fire ban area is prohibited. This includes a ban on the use of QPWS supplied fire-rings and barbecues, wood-fuelled braziers and barbecues and appliances using ash producing fuels or heat beads (e.g. Oz-pigs and similar appliances).
Electric barbecues and gas and spirit camping stoves are permitted to be used during fire bans, provided they:
- do not have the potential to generate airborne embers or possibly ignite nearby ground fuels
- are not left unattended
- and are suitably contained.
Fire prohibitions
Sometimes, even if it has rained, very high fire danger conditions occur in parks or forests or in bushland close to camping areas.
For your safety:
- QPWS may impose a fire prohibition in all or parts of a park or forest.
- When a fire prohibition is in place, no camp fires are permitted to be lit in the prohibition area. This includes the lighting of wood-fuelled barbecues, braziers, fire drums and stoves).
- Fire prohibitions stay in place until cancelled by QPWS.
A QPWS fire prohibition may be imposed when there is no Queensland Fire Department fire ban in place in the same local government area.
QPWS-imposed fire prohibitions are advertised on park alerts and on park signs. Information may also be provided in permit packs, at over-the-counter booking offices and information centres.