Tips for the humble gas cooker

The humble gas cooker is an important piece of kit, whether it’s for reheating freeze-dried meals in the backcountry or making a hot cuppa while car camping.  

Though they’re simple to use, there are still a few things to think about to make sure you don’t accidentally start a wildfire.

98% of wildfires in New Zealand are inadvertently caused by people, so any potential source of fire needs to be treated with respect when you’re in the outdoors. 

We’re already seeing many places around Aotearoa with hot and dry conditions this summer, which has led to fire restrictions for some regions. Gas cookers can be used on conservation land at any time, which is welcome news for weary trampers eager for hot kai after a long day out.  

But especially in these dry conditions, it’s important to know how to safely use your cooker. This helps protect our precious native wildlife, heritage sites, huts and tracks, and – most importantly – each other.  

Gas cooker accidents

Punakaki Downs fire 2020

In the past, wildfires have been started accidentally by cookers: an example is the Pukaki Downs fire in August 2020 which was caused by a cooker toppling over into some dry grass. The resulting fire burned through more than 2200 hectares, including parts of the Pukaki Scientific Reserve, and threatened critically endangered species like the cryptic native moth Izatha psychra.  

Unattended Cooker, Mason Bay Hut

More recently, a cooker incident in 2023 on Stewart Island/Rakiura resulting in a loud bang and a pot bouncing off a hut ceiling highlights how things can quickly go wrong.  

John Kirk-Anderson didn’t pay much thought to the cooker on the bench in Mason Bay Hut when he was setting up nearby to make his own dinner. He noticed the cooker was heating a pot and there was a windshield around it, which he thought was unusual inside the hut, but there was another tramper sitting nearby so he assumed it was being watched.  

Shortly afterwards, there was a loud blast and John turned to see the pot hit the ceiling. He went over and found the cooker was now on its side but still going. He tried to blow it out but couldn’t, so picked up the gas cannister and threw the cooker outside. Luckily, there was no flammable vegetation outside the hut.  

“When it was on its side burning and swollen, I just thought, ‘I’ve got to get it out of the hut in case it explodes’,” John said.  

After warning everyone to stay back in case it exploded, John filled up a billy with water and doused the cooker to put it out and cool off the gas cannister. 

It turns out the cooker had been left unsupervised (its owner was in another room), and the pot was empty. Heat from the cooker was reflecting off the bottom of the pot and being trapped by the windshield, which meant the gas cannister was heating up, causing the gas inside to expand.  

The pressure inside the cannister built up until the concave base of the cannister was suddenly and violently pushed out, resulting in the bang and firing the pot upwards with enough force that its base was dented by the cooker arms.  

Luckily, the cannister held together. John said he was thankful the seam at the base of the gas cylinder seam was strong because if that had exploded and ignited it would have been “quite spectacular”. 

“If the cylinder had explosively vented, because there was a flame there, it would have not only been explosive pressure and a fireball – it would have been a poor outcome for myself and the hut.” 

After the near miss, John is encouraging people using cookers to remember they are dealing with flammable gas in a pressurised container, and it needs to be treated with respect.  

Luckily no one was hurt, and nothing caught fire in this incident, it could have been much worse – and it could have been easily avoided. 

Gas Cooker Tips

To make sure you don’t find yourself at the centre of your own cooker incident, we’ve compiled some handy guidelines for safe cooker use: 

1. Choose the right place to set your cooker up – don’t use it in an unventilated area. It’s best to use it outside but they can be used in a hut as well, with the window open for good airflow. Camp cookers give off carbon monoxide, an odourless gas that’s poisonous – prolonged exposure can lead to unconsciousness or even death.  
2. Find a flat, clear surface with nothing flammable nearby. If you’re outside, check for things like branches or vegetation around and above you. Something like a picnic table is best if there’s one available. In huts, use the metal bench area provided (and open the window).   
3. Think about the wind – if you’re outside, try to find a sheltered spot, build up a non-flammable windbreak, or use an appropriate windshield.   
4. For cookers that screw into the top of a gas cannister, use a stabiliser on the base if you can, so the cooker is less likely to tip over.  
5. Be careful placing your pot onto the cooker – make sure its centred and well balanced so it won’t tip over. Think about whether you’ve got too much food or water in the pot. Don’t put an empty pot or pan on a cooker.  
6. Never leave your cooker unattended while its going!   
7. Remember it’s not just your cooker that gets hot – be careful where you place hot pots and pans as they can also start a fire if left on something flammable.   
8. Let your cooker cool before you pack it up and put it away.   
9. Know your cooker before you head out – make sure you’ve tested its operation in a safe environment at home (outside). There are lots of different types and they’re all a bit different to set up and operate. 
10. If your cooker is malfunctioning or you think it is damaged, don’t use it! 

So there you have it – follow these tips to keep people and wildlife safe while enjoying a hot meal on your next backcountry experience.