what do you think about campfire in backcountry?

Moonlight shining thru a plastic bottle of fine bourbon provides a nice ambiance..

Generally speaking I'm not in favor of campfires in the backcountry.

However, being prepared to start a fire can be a life saver.  A small fire has helped one my hiking partners recover from hypothermia on the SHR in 2003.  I started a small (but illegal as it was above 10k ft) fire on the same hike when my hiking partner and I became separated.  He had my tarp tent and I ended spending the night in freezing rain.  In the morning I removed all traces of the fire and hiked out to report my partner missing.  My son almost died in 2004 after our SHR trip when he went on an overnight 30 mile "dayhike" to retrieve our empty bear canister cache.  My son an experienced Force Recon Marine Radioman had perhaps too much self confidence.  He lost his way on the way back as he was caught in an early snow storm that buried the trail.  He had the clothes on his back, a small pack to carry the canister, and was forced to spend the next night in the high teens.  It's certainly a story of survival worthy of being told.  Had he put a fire starter in his jacket, his odds of survival would have greatly increased and his discomfort factor reduced.  

Another reason to carry enough to at least start a fire is for signaling and warmth should you become seriously injured or lost.  Never underestimate the importance of fire in backcountry.

On one of my early JMT thru hikes my son and I had to hike through an active forest fire at Deer Meadows near the Golden Staircase leading up to the Palisade Lakes.  The year before we had camped at Deer Meadows and I was disgusted with a number of large fire rings and the abundance of dead wood laying practically everywhere.  The area appeared to be used by Packers, but I know they know how to douse their campfires.  I have to hope the fire I hiked thru was started by lightning and not by a camper.  In subsequent years, the fire there had scoured out a lot of dead wood.  

So, I'm prepared to have a fire, especially in an emergency.  That said, I don't like fires in the backcountry for many of the same reasons discussed in this thread by others here.

I almost lost the ability to have children testing a campstove...in my garage. The ability to start a fire can sometimes be a danger...

I find the candle lantern somewhat frustrating. It makes enough light to change clothes and rearrange gear, but not enough for me to read. I leave it for car camping. I'm most likely to spend the evening hours watching the sky and whatever wildlife happens by. Then it's time to read for as long as I can stay awake, especially at this time of year, when nights are longer than I should sleep.

i know,i love that too. this summer,i went to Bryce Canyon national park camping with my friends. it was amazing that i can see the galaxy clearly. we just star at it whole night.
But i think it only some places can see it. I remember last time i went to Trinity alps wilderness for my backpacking trip. the only thing i can stare was a bright moon. haha,i think i prefer stare at star or campfire.

haha， i like the idea of trail name, never have one.i like -misfire. I would very happy to see more ideas come out .
shrhiker what is your trail name?how did you get it? I would like heard other people's trail name too. i think i can hear ton of stories if your guys willing to share.