Fire, wilderness experts share ways to stay warm — and safe — in a tent

A fire expert in Moncton is warning campers across New Brunswick to choose safe methods to stay warm in tents as overnight temperatures drop.

"A gas-powered or propane-powered appliance should not be utilized in a small, unvented area such as a tent," Charles LeBlanc said in an interview.

LeBlanc, who is deputy chief of the Moncton Fire Department, shared the advice in light of the recent tragedy in the northwestern New Brunswick. A man and woman, both in their 20s, were found dead on the weekend in a tent along the Restigouche River, where they'd gone camping.

Authorities in Kedgwick and Grand Falls said Monday that the deaths were most likely the result of poisoning by a space heater.

"If you're in a small tent and carbon monoxide is being produced by an appliance such as a small heater … it eats away at all the oxygen inside the tent, and carbon monoxide becomes much more predominant," he said, adding he could not comment on the fatal incident that happened north of Kedgwick.

He said a tent does not have to be "completely airtight" to pose a risk for carbon monoxide poisoning.

• 2 campers found dead in tent in northwestern N.B.

"When we think about a tent, yes, it does breathe, but we also have to think that a lot of these tents are waterproof … so it is fairly tightly sealed."

He said the use of small space heaters is common among campers who use trailers and RVs, which are designed to vent out of the space, so the heaters are considered safer.

Although most heaters are small, LeBlanc said, they produce a lot of heat, which also makes them a fire hazard — especially if they are crammed next to combustible gear such as sleeping bags, clothing and blankets.

A wilderness expert says campers should consider alternative ways to stay warm as overnight temperatures drop.

What you wear, how you sleep, how much you sweat

Wayne Russell said campers can manage their body heat and stay warm in cold conditions without powered heaters.

Russell, a certified wilderness instructor in Saint John who has spent many nights in the woods, said dressing in layers is a great way to gauge how much clothing your body needs before it starts to sweat and lose heat.

"What I like to say is if you stay in a comfortable cold, you don't sweat," he said. 

Although it might be in a camper's nature to bundle up in clothes and blankets when turning in for the night in a tent, Russell warns against it. 

"If I went in with my jacket and it warms up quicker, middle of the night, I'm waking up because I've started sweating and now I have moisture in there," he said. "Staying dry is of utmost importance."

He suggested packing nylon, wool or polyester against the skin, topped with a middle layer for warmth and an outer layer that helps to break wind and rain.

It also helps to keep a sleeping bag or blankets wrapped up in a bag during the day to prevent moisture from getting in.

You can even layer two sleeping bags if you don't own one that is certified for very cold conditions, Russell said.

One of the most common mistakes campers make is forgetting to add a ground pad between them and the floor of the tent or the ground, Russell said.

"You need something to insolate you between the ground and your body," he said. "That will suck the body heat out of you faster than anything because your body is trying to heat the earth and it's not going to happen."

He suggested putting a tarp between the ground and the tent first to shelter from any rain. A foam mat or pad several inches thick and laid down inside the tent underneath you should do the trick.

If you're really stuck, Russell said, you can even use fur, spruce or pine boughs as a makeshift ground pad.