I could be wrong on this BLR, its probably best answered by a bbq/weber cooking expert, but my take is...
Ithink heat beads are more a cooking fuel mate...i always cook on coals, & heat beads are designed to be just like hot coals but last longer...they will burn, but not a flame, they burn away to ash.
Heat beads are another alternative to charcoal, so charcoal will be much the same--burn, but like coals--no real flame--good for cooking.
But it can take a bit to get heat beads or charcoal going--thats why they have charcoal starters...or use a butane blow torch to get them going.
If im going to need wood for cooking, i sometimes take 300mm long hardwood decking off-cuts & split them into 3 or 4 sticks--they give great heat & get to coals quick & dont burn for too long.
I notice ALDI had a fire pit a couple of weeks ago--it looked a reasonable size for camping & it came with a mesh lid to help stop flying embers & also came with a grill plate for cooking i think...from memory it was about $80-i was gonna buy one but i already cart enough crap around & would have to take my trailer if it came with me.
When i make a fire & have to leave it, i dig a bit of a hole & build up sides with rocks if any around.
When i leave it, i put a bbq plate over it to keep embers in as best as possible...i also dont burn big heavy wood that lasts ages--that makes for a PITA to re-light it when back from spotlighting, but have peace of mind.
I think buying a metal fire pit would be better than a hole in the ground for heating, but i couldnt be stuffed carting one with me.
Youve got me thinking now i should have got one of the aldi ones...lol...i love aldi...lol
If youve got room to take a fire pit, take one-it will give you the peice of mind you're after...
The man who knows everything, doesnt really know everything...he's just stopped learning...