The sentence
> Don't make fire rings where they already exist
means both:
1. If there is an existing fire ring, do not re-use it. Make a new fire ring somewhere else instead; and
2. If there is an existing fire ring, please re-use it. Do not make a new fire ring somewhere else instead.
What they _meant_ was the second interpretation, and not the first one.
Besides, we're down to like, what, 4 days a year where the fire risk is low enough? Bring a camp stove and a LED candle :)
Fire risk is just too high, even if rings exist. Use a camp stove. If you really want a fire pit, go to a non-dispersed/non-backcountry campground that has nice large fire pits in cleared areas (still not zero risk, but less risk than some of the janky small rings I’ve come across).