Campfires, Barbecues and Cooking at European Campsites

Cooking outdoors is one of the pleasures of roof tent travel, but the rules are not one rule. A campsite that allows a barbecue may ban an open fire, and seasonal fire bans can override both. This guide separates the categories so you know what you are actually being allowed to do.

Gas, charcoal, electric and open fire are different

• Gas barbecue or stove: usually the most widely accepted method; a controlled flame that can be switched off.
• Charcoal barbecue: often allowed on hardstanding or designated areas, but hot ash and smoke can be restricted.
• Electric cooking: generally treated as an appliance, not a fire risk, and depends on hook-up availability.
• Open fire: a fire directly on the ground; the most restricted category and frequently banned entirely.
• Fire pit: a fixed or supplied container; allowed only where the site provides or explicitly permits one.

“Barbecue allowed” does not mean “open fire allowed”

These are separate permissions. A site that lists “barbecue allowed” is not authorising an open campfire. Never assume one implies the other, and never light a fire directly on grass or forest floor.

Seasonal fire bans

In dry conditions, many regions impose temporary fire bans that cover open fires and sometimes charcoal barbecues. Scotland’s Outdoor Access Code is explicit: do not light an open fire — including in fire bowls or BBQs — during times of high fire risk, near forests, farmland, peaty ground or buildings, and use a camping stove instead. Always heed fire danger warnings and local signage.

How RoofTentAtlas records fire rules

Spot pages record barbecue status separately from open-fire status, together with any fire-pit provision and specific notes. Where the source does not state the rule, the field stays unconfirmed rather than guessed. Use these fields to shortlist, then confirm the current rules on arrival, because seasonal bans change.

Rules vary by region, municipality, landowner and campsite. Always confirm current local and site-specific restrictions before travelling.