Wool absolutely has a place in the backcountry. Synthetics have there place (especially for things like baselayers and waterproof outer shells), but in the winter one of the primary advantages of wool is that it still keeps you warm when wet, and will not catch fire from embers. This means that when it is really cold you can get really close to your fire and not worry about your clothing melting on you or catching fire.
Really? I cannot recall one documented case where a campfire caused synthetic clothing to catch fire enough and melted on a person. Yes if you are careless and doing dumb a$$ things such as playing jump the fire and fall in, then you deserve to be burnt...
Compared to almost all on this forum, I spend far more time outdoors and around campfires that enumerate into weeks per year. I always wear synthetics and have not had one shred of clothing melt catch fire nor melt one me...or anyone else I know.
Keep in mind that wool is best for cold and drier environments and not necessarily for cold and constant wet environments like the Pacific Northwest. Up here walking and sleeping in wool clothing that is constantly wet from rain that after a day it gets old very fast...
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