Trail Sense

Android User Guide Book DEM GitHub

5 - Fire

Knowing how to make fire can help you stay warm, purify water, and cook food. You should never leave a fire unattended and must be careful to avoid it spreading.

This chapter is for informational purposes only and does not replace professional advice; use at your own risk and ensure compliance with local laws.

Be prepared

Gear

Necessities:

Optional:

Knowledge and skills

Start by learning how to do the following:

Once you have mastered these skills, you should learn how to do the following:

Preparing a fire site

You should prepare the fire site before attempting to start a fire. Choose a flat, dry area protected from the wind that is close to your shelter and a fuel supply. Clear the ground of flammable material and, if possible, line the area with dry rocks, dirt, or sand. Do not construct a fire over a root system or peat. In snowy environments, lay down logs to prevent the fire from touching the snow. Gather all materials before trying to start the fire.

You should also be aware of local laws and regulations, as some areas may not allow fires.

Gathering materials

You need three types of materials to start and maintain a fire: tinder, kindling, and fuel. Tinder is a dry, fine material that catches fire easily and is used to start a fire. Kindling consists of small sticks and twigs that burn easily and are used to build up the fire after lighting the tinder. Finally, fuel is used to sustain the fire and consists of larger sticks or logs. To make a fire, find about a handful of tinder, two handfuls of kindling, and a pile of fuel - double the amount you estimate you'll need.

Finding dry wood can be difficult, but look for dead branches on trees, fallen branches that aren't fully touching the ground, and sticks that break cleanly when snapped. You can dry out damp tinder by placing it near your body or in your sleeping bag, and you can dry out fuel by placing it near the fire.

Feather sticks

A feather stick can be used as tinder and kindling to help start a fire when other tinder is hard to find.

To make a feather stick:

  1. Find a straight, thick, dry stick.
  2. Starting near the top, use a knife to cut a wood curl. Slice down to the base of the stick, but don't cut it off.
  3. Repeat this process, but cut along the ridge created by your last cut. Be careful not to cut off the previous curls.
  4. Gather any curls that fell off.
  5. To start a fire, follow the next section using the feather stick as your tinder bundle.

Starting a fire

Once you have a site prepared and a sufficient supply of tinder, kindling, and fuel, you are ready to start the fire. As you build up the fire, be careful not to smother it by always leaving a section with an open flame exposed. Also, avoid adding damp or green wood until your fire is hot and burning fuel.

Here are the steps you can follow to get it going:

  1. Place the tinder into a small bundle or nest on the ground.
  2. Lean a few pieces of kindling against the tinder in a tepee shape.
  3. Light the tinder.
  4. Carefully add kindling to the fire and blow into it to encourage growth.
  5. Once your fire is steady, add fuel while maintaining a tepee structure.

Note: When blowing into a fire, be gentle and take breaths away from the smoke.

Nursing an ember

An ember is a small piece of tinder that is burning but has not formed a flame. Once you have an ember, gently blow into it and feed it more tinder until a flame appears. Sometimes, it is easier to hold the tinder containing the ember and cup your hands closer together to find the right balance of oxygen and fuel.

Lighter

A reliable lighter is the easiest way to start a fire. Use the striker to produce a flame and use your hand to shield it against any wind. Put the flame to the tinder to ignite it, and then shut off the lighter. If it takes you more than a couple of seconds to ignite the tinder, then it is not fine or dry enough.

Some lighters require that you add fuel before use, so be sure to try out your lighter before you need it. The fuel should last a long time - even years with moderate use.

A lighter generally does not work when wet, but you can dry it quickly by gently rubbing the striker wheel against your clothes in the opposite direction that you would strike it and forcefully blowing into the striker area.

You can also remove the child safety device from the striker wheel to more easily dry the lighter or use it in the cold. To do so, point it away from your eyes (the safety is spring-loaded) and use a knife or multi-tool to pry it off. Do this at your own risk.

There are also electronic lighters available, but they are less reliable and require a charge. They can be used in a similar fashion to regular lighters but typically require smaller and finer tinder.

Matches

Matches typically require a special striking surface to light, though strike-anywhere matches exist and can be lit using a rough rock. Unless you have waterproof or stormproof matches, once wet they will not work, and if it is windy, they can be easily extinguished.

To light a fire with matches, light the match and use your hand to shield it against any wind. Put the flame to the tinder to ignite it and carefully drop the matchstick into the flame.

Fire steel

A fire steel or ferro rod is durable and works in all weather conditions. You can scrape it quickly with a sharp edge, such as the back of your knife, a dedicated scraper, or even a sharp piece of quartz or flint. You should avoid using the blade of your knife to prevent dulling it. If you are having trouble keeping the tinder in place while striking, pin the tinder between the fire steel and the ground and scrape toward the tinder. Some people also find it easier to keep the edge stationary and pull the fire steel away from the tinder to produce sparks.

Some fire steels come with a magnesium block, which you can scrape into the tinder before striking to help catch a spark. Create a small pile of shavings, about the size of a pebble, before trying to ignite it.

Camp stove

Most camp stoves require another ignition device, such as a lighter, but some may have a built-in piezoelectric igniter. Always place the stove on a flat, stable surface that will not catch fire (such as a rock). Be sure to read the manufacturer's instructions before using it.

To use a fuel canister stove:

  1. Ensure the valve is turned off (turn clockwise).
  2. Screw the stove head onto the canister.
  3. Place the stove on a flat surface and ensure it is stable.
  4. Expand the pot holders on the head if needed.
  5. Open the valve slightly (turn counter-clockwise).
  6. Ignite the gas and adjust the valve as needed.
  7. Once you're done, turn the valve completely off (turn clockwise). Wait for it to cool down before detaching the canister and storing it.

To use an alcohol or solid fuel stove:

  1. Place the stove on a flat surface and ensure it is stable.
  2. Fill the stove with fuel.
  3. Ignite the fuel.
  4. Once you're done, gently place the lid on the stove (don't tighten it). Wait for it to cool before tightening the lid and storing it. If using a solid fuel stove, you may need to wait for it to burn out.

Magnifying glass/lens

Using a lens, focus sunlight into a small point on the tinder. As the tinder starts to smoke, gently blow into it and move the lens closer to maintain a small point. A magnifying glass, prescription glasses, a Fresnel lens, or even a clear bottle filled with water can work. This may take a while, and direct sunlight is required.

Flint and steel

Strike a flint rock with a carbon steel tool to create sparks and ignite very dry and delicate tinder. Stainless steel - and therefore most pocket knives - will not work. If you find yourself here, it may be best to focus on insulation and shelter to stay warm.

Drills

You can create friction by spinning a stick like a drill on a wooden base (fireboard). A hand drill is simple to construct, as it's just the drill stick, fireboard, and your hands. A bow drill is more complicated to build but is easier to use to create an ember. Both of these methods are difficult to master and require a lot of practice. If you find yourself here, it may be best to focus on insulation and shelter to stay warm.

To create a bow drill:

  1. Find a small, flat stone or piece of hardwood with a small depression near the center to create the socket.
  2. Create the drill by finding a straight, dry stick about 10-12 inches long and ¾ inch in diameter.
  3. Find a flat, dry piece of softwood for the fireboard. Yucca, tamarack, aspen, balsam fir, basswood, poplar, cypress, cottonwood, alder, red cedar, and willow are preferred. Avoid resinous woods like pine.
  4. Carve a slight depression about ½ to ¾ inch from the edge of the fireboard.
  5. On the underside of the fireboard, make a V-shaped cut from the board's edge to the depression.
  6. Find a curved stick that can be used for the bow. It should be about 12-14 inches long and ½ inch in diameter.
  7. Attach a cord or shoelace to both ends of the bow.
  8. Find the fire pan - a flat piece of bark or wood to catch the ember.
  9. Wrap the drill into the bowstring so that it can roll as it moves along the string.
  10. Place the fireboard on top of the fire pan so the V-shaped notch is touching it.
  11. Place the drill (attached to the bow) into the depression in the fireboard.
  12. Place the socket onto the top end of the drill and apply downward pressure with your non-dominant hand.
  13. Place your foot on the fireboard (on the same side as your non-dominant hand) and rest the hand holding the socket on your knee.
  14. With your dominant hand, move the bow side to side to cause the drill to spin. Be sure to use the full length of the bowstring. Keep a steady, fast pace.
  15. You will start to see smoke after a while. Keep going until you are sure an ember has been created.
  16. The ember should be transferred onto the fire pan (it may already be there) and moved to a tinder bundle, where you can nurse it into a fire.

If you are using a hand drill, follow the same steps as the bow drill, except don't create the bow and socket. Instead, roll the drill between your palms until you reach the bottom, then start again from the top.

Extinguishing a fire

You should always have a plan to quickly extinguish your fire in case it begins to spread. Thoroughly extinguish your fire by dousing it with water or covering it with dirt. Make sure no embers remain that could reignite or cause a wildfire. If you are on a beach, do not cover the fire with sand; it can insulate the heat and cause burns.

Increasing warmth

To maximize the heat from your fire, you can add more dry fuel, build a fire reflector, heat up rocks, or increase the insulation of your clothing and shelter.

Types of wood

Hardwoods (oak, maple, ash, beech, etc.) burn slowly and hot, while softwoods (pine, fir, spruce, cedar) burn faster and cooler. Once you have a hot fire going, start adding hardwoods to make it last longer and burn hotter.

Fire reflector

A fire reflector is a wall built behind the fire to reflect heat toward you and protect the fire from wind. Use rocks, logs, or snow to create a barrier.

Heating rocks

You can also heat rocks near the fire and place them in your shelter or sleeping area. To avoid burns or fires, don't let the rocks get too hot; they should be warm to the touch. Be sure to check how hot the stones are before touching them. Do not use rocks found near water sources, as they can explode in a fire. Alternatively, you can heat water and place it in a container or bottle to keep warm.

Craft: charcoal

Charcoal is made by preventing wood from completely burning. It can be used for filtering water, medicine, and as fuel for fires. You can grind charcoal into powder by placing it in a container and crushing it with a stick or rock.

Resources

Instructions

  1. Burn a fire down to coals.
  2. Douse the fire with water or dirt to quickly extinguish it.
  3. Wait for the coals to cool; some charcoal should be among the ashes. Charcoal is very light and entirely black.