Does each hiker need a permit or can you have one for the entire group?

Take one, leave it with whomever is keeping an eye on the fire.

(Since anyone can find them online, having an extra one or two isn't a terrible inconvenience.)

Few years ago in SEKI I was told by the ranger looking person in the visitors center that just one person in the group needed to have one. However, considering the variety of beliefs different enforcement officials seem to have, probably best to get everybody to get one.

I'm not suggesting this... but after you take the online test, there is nothing preventing you from printing more than one and giving copies to your friends. I don't do that for my girlfriend every year.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sequoia/passes-permits/?cid=fsbdev3_059516
(scroll to the bottom to take the small quiz that will give you a link to a PDF)

There's a test!?! All we see around here are pre signed ones in a box along with the self registration permits. Or some uniformed schmo at the desk just has you fill one out and they sign it. Never even knew there was a test.

You don't actually have to take the quiz, you can find the pdf directly by googling.

I find this campfire permit thing to be incredibly stupid. It serves no real purpose other than to give a little information on safe campfire practices. Really though, burn bans and safe campfire information are already posted at trail heads. I haven't seen permits at any of the trail heads I have been to.

I have forgotten a campfire permit many, many times. I usually don't worry considering that the forest police rarely go beyond the parking lots. It just seems like an excuse to harass and ticket people.

By the way, do I REALLY need to have a shovel with me at all times? lol

http://www.fire.ca.gov/communications/communications_firesafety_camping_campfirepermits.php

Here's one for Los Padres NF but it may be used in any national forest in California:
Campfire Permit

More info, terms of the permit, etc:
Sequoia National Forest Passes and Permits

Edited by rcmike on 02/02/2013 00:43:12 MST.

>> You don't actually have to take the quiz, you can find the pdf directly by googling

I feel guilty if I don't take the test each year, also the url for the PDF will sometimes change.

So far, I haven't had to show it to anybody, but I still get a new one each January and stick it in my pack. I figured they mainly just used it as a technicality to mess with people that are partying a bit too hard in a wilderness area, who aren't likely to of researched the area enough to know they needed a permit for a campfire.

Shovel... I take a cathole trowel just to make sure I'm staying in compliance. Well, it is a snow stake, but I call it a trowel.

I always get mine from the local CDF fire station about four miles away from my house. They never ask any questions---in fact, I usually have to help them with the form...

But once I have it, it is good all year, and all over California~!

You need it for your stove also. Just got mine at the FS office. Get it early while I'm thinking about it.
Duane

In my experience, the USFS or NPS Wilderness Permit also serves as a campfire permit for the trip. You only need the separate campfire permit for trips that don't involve a wilderness permit.

(Based on 30 years of getting Wilderness Permits in California)

>> In my experience, the USFS or NPS Wilderness Permit also serves as a campfire permit >> for the trip. You only need the separate campfire permit for trips that don't involve >> a wilderness permit.


I'd agree with that.

The only time I wondered if I maybe hiked into a loophole, was when I was backpacking in a permit area and hiked into a 'no permit required' wilderness area.

Now I'm fairly sure that no ranger is going to twist the screws on you in that situation, but I'd rather avoid explaining and be able to just whip out an actual fire permit and wish him well on the rest of his rounds.

One time in Idylwild, getting a wilderness permit for the NF wilderness area there, the ranger wanted to see my CA campfire permit, and I had to go out to the truck to get it.

Or maybe he just didn't like my looks.

>>Or maybe he just didn't like my looks.<<

Likely the beard, beards often creep people out. Especially myself when I look in the mirror and realize I have a beard. It is not a look my younger self expected I'd ever be rocking.

One thing I've come to expect about the people that operate on behest of the bureaucracy, is that they all seem to have a different idea of how things work. I love it though, when when you get to watch like three of them disagree behind a counter, and the one with the most lenient or easy understanding wins out.

Weird thread....I just realized it has been many years since I got a campfire permit. I lived in Hemet and was up on San Jacinto or up in the Sierra about every weekend. I remember being asked if I had one once specifically in SEKI and I just said "yeah I got one awhile back" referring to the one I got in like 2005....maybe 2003?? I had never been asked to get one prior to that one either.

Let me add that I sometimes look a little shady lol

Last year in the Federal San Jacinto Wilderness I was asked to show my wilderness permit, fire permit, hand trowel, and ID. I was also questioned as too whether I could actually make it out of the wilderness area with what appeared to be only a small day pack and inadequate footwear, since my permit did not allow an overnight stay for the current day.

I chalked it up to my charming personality and absolute respect for authority.

Attitude is everything.