Warning to our members  when camping dont leave your cooker on at night to keep warm, a friend of mine son did this at  a race meeting and his dad found him dead the next morning, we dont want to loose any of you, one of our members left his cooker on all night at the Into The Valley rally this weekend to keep warm, this is deadly see today's news, fortunately our member was ok but it could of been so different so please be careful when using gas in a tent

Ohhhhhh.. that is awful to hear.. poor wee lad... But Bless You Bill and thank you for sharing.. it wouldn't have flagged up as non starter in my head.. I'd have thought it "genius" given how cold it was at Squires in March..                                                                                                                                                                                   

Bill i'm glad you brought this to everyones attention, I did think about doing it - so easy to have a tragic outcome.                                                                                                                                                                             

 I don't just think it's just gas cookers that do this, I remember reading sometime last year of a couple that took the disposable barbie into their tent after using it. They were also found dead the next morning (apparently they just suffocated in their sleep due to the barbie burning up the oxygen in the tent).
When the nights are as cold as at Into the Valley, i must say it's a very tempting risk.                                                                                                                                                                             

Anything that burns with a naked flame can give off CO (carbon monoxide) if it has incomplete combustion usually shown by a yellow flame. DO NOT!!!!! EVER have a BBQ or a gas cooker alight inside without adequate ventilation                                                                                                                                                                             

Jees that's awful to hear, i had no idea it was such a problem and must admit i've got a fire going many times in my tent (never leave it on though, just give it a blast to warm a bit

Moving to active topics page, this is good info folks need to read                                                                                                                                                                             

Been a problem in winter for years this has, back in the day quite a few truck drivers met their end this way- a few too many beers and fall asleep with the calor gas cooker on to keep warm in the cab.   Use it to take the night chill out of the tent but NEVER when you've had a few to drink, all too easy to drop off when you're boozed up and feeling warm & cosy.   Best of all DON'T bother with it if you've been drinking, just take your boots off & slide in the sleeping bag, best to wake up uncomfy than not at all....As the flames burn the oxygen the carbon monoxide makes you drowsy, then it kills you....                                                                                                                                                                             

who even feels the cold after drinking? If you do you've not drunk enough!                                                                                                                                                                               

Thanks Bill for bringing this up.   I'm sure we've all seen the tragic news of the family camping last weekend   http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2140326/Shropsh...fumes.html   very sad news indeed.. RIP Hannah Thomas-Jones and thoughts go out to her family and friends.   Take care everyone  xx                                                                                                                                                                                       

it could easily of been one of ours Kaz, as i said one guy did leave his cooker on all night to keep warm, i could't beleave  it when he told me on the Sunday.                                                                                                                                                                              

This topic has been on Local Radio all morning whilst in me white van.. makes me shiver to think of it... Sharing Karey's wishes too for Hannah's family..   Just hope that Radio and Newspaper Coverage raise awareness and all of BM folk see this post of Bills.. Bill you are a  for posting this                                                                                                                                                                              

As others have said, this has been going on for a long, long time. More often than not, it's when people bring in BBQ's for warmth in the evening. 
I think I'm right in saying Carbon Monoxide is heavier than air, and as most people sleep on mats or blow-up air beds, you're right in the firing line at ground level. Modern tents with a SIG (sown in groundsheet) have plenty of ventilation points, but they need to be open and have a through-draught, but generally not at or near ground level. Older flysheets that don't have storm-skirts or mudflaps don't have that problem, but that doesn't mean you're safe...
Just don't be tempted, there have been many reports on the news and on camper's forums of needless deaths from this...                                                                                                                                                                             

don`t intend this as a contradiction sharky but CO is slightly lighter than air (around 0.8 density) but the fact remains just don`t do it. The red blood cells have more of an affinity for CO rather than oxygen, and by the time you have any symptoms you are usually drowsy and disorientated and unless you get to fresh air its all over. Please all, just don`t risk it.

it happened to me when working away sleeping in a transit luckily the noise of the burner struggling to burn the oxygen I woke up had a stinking head ache all day and vowed never again, so be warned everyone.                                                                                                                                                                             

Before you consider a flame in the tent, a couple of tips I use to keep warm at the winter rallies...

1) Choose a site thats level and shaded from wind with good drainage.

2) Make sure the tent seams all line up and the fabric is taut with no sag lines. All guy ropes are set correct, will ensure that the outer and inner tents do not touch and the interior should stay dry.

3) Lay your waterproofs, open bike jacket and sleeping bag on top of each other, keeps you and the cold floor apart. (or use a self inflating matress, I dont as its something else to carry)

4) Remember to zip the door when you eventually get back, dont leave your feet in the feild. Also keeps the rest of the tent from the elements, no fun waking in a cold tent thats got rain inside.
                                                                                                                                                                             

Warning to our members  when camping dont leave your cooker on at night to keep warm, a friend of mine son did this at  a race meeting and his dad found him dead the next morning, we dont want to loose any of you, one of our members left his cooker on all night at the Into The Valley rally this weekend to keep warm, this is deadly see today's news, fortunately our member was ok but it could of been so different so please be careful when using gas in a tent

Lets all be careful this weekend