Is it safe to use a heater in a tent? What to know

Do not use a fuel-burning heater inside a closed tent. Carbon monoxide is a gas you cannot see or smell. It can build up and make people sleepy or sick, and it can kill. Tents can also burn very fast.

Why it is a risk

Heaters, stoves, lanterns and grills that burn fuel make carbon monoxide when air runs short. A small tent with little air flow makes this worse. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) page on carbon monoxide says it is a poison you cannot see or smell, and that fuel-burning appliances can produce it. Read the page below for the details.

What goes wrong first. Falling asleep. A heater left on at night can run low on air while everyone is asleep. Fix: never leave one on overnight, and never run one in a closed tent.

What to do instead

1. Insulate from below. A high R-value pad. See sleeping pad R-value for cold camping.
2. Use a bag rated for the night. Sleeping bag temperature rating explained helps.
3. Warm the bag first with a bottle of hot water, tightly closed.
4. Wear dry layers and a hat.
5. Cook outside, away from the tent.

The exception

Some heaters are made for tents and say so on the label. Some tents have a stove jack for a wood stove. Even then, follow the maker's instructions to the letter, keep a working carbon monoxide alarm in the tent, keep flame well away from fabric and never sleep with it running. If you are unsure, do not use it. For the full cold-night plan, see how to stay warm in a tent in winter.