What You Should Know About Campfires
Some tips and tricks you should know about fires before heading into the wild.
Being able to build a fire in the wilderness is absolutely integral to outdoor survival, yet it remains a skill that many people sadly lack. Sure, just about anyone can get a blaze going with some store-bought tinder and enough lighter fluid, but the goal is to get rid of those training wheels as soon as possible.
The ability to build a fire using available resources in the wild (especially in adverse conditions and inclement weather) is probably the first thing a newcomer to the outdoors should seek to master.
If this were an expert-level article, we would delve into properties like input heat, fuel, oxygen, proportioning, mixing, and ignition continuity. It’s actually fascinating to learn about the fine points of combustion. (Fun fact: food makers used to figure out how many calories their food contained by setting it on fire.) But the good news is that you can build a perfectly good fire without a deep understanding of the chemistry and physics involved.
All you need to understand is this loose concept: combustion is the result of oxygen combining with the caloric potential stored in a flammable material (such as wood). In other words, you need good, burnable material, plenty of oxygen, and some sort of spark (catalyst).
Naturally, we can’t cover all the ins and outs in a short article like this, but let’s touch on some bushcraft basics that everyone should know.
- NEVER GO INTO THE WILD WITHOUT A WAY TO MAKE A SPARK. In my experience, there are two things you should have on you at all times when venturing off the beaten path- a way to make a spark and a pocketknife. One lightweight option is a permanent matchstick that you can keep on your keychain.
- There are lots of ways to start a flame. It is a good idea to have more than one method handy. Bear in mind that not all options work when wet (kitchen matches, disposable cigarette lighters, etc.). Some good fire-starting options include waterproof matches, flint and steel, magnesium rods, a magnifying glass, arc lighters, butane lighters, Zippo® style refillable lighters, and more. Some of these are easier to use and carry than others, so experiment to find what you like.
- If you start a fire- make absolutely sure you can keep it under control. Fires can get out of hand very quickly; the best practice is to make sure the area is safe before touching flame to kindling. Look around- are there leaves, dry underbrush, or other material around that could catch and spread your fire? Look up- are there overhanging branches that could heat up and combust above you? Mind the wind- fires create sparks that can travel fast; you may need to look for a sheltered location to deflect the elements. Think through these things first.
- Always make sure your fire is out cold when you are done. A fire will die when all of its fuel is exhausted, but otherwise, you will need to manually ensure that the flame is 100% dead. You can do this by pouring water on the fire, but be aware that just because you can’t see the flame doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Logs, for example, may still contain lit embers inside the wood that can fan back up later.
- You can smother a fire by covering it with dirt, but this takes longer than dousing. You will need to wait for quite a while to be sure everything is cold before leaving the area. When I say, “out cold,” I mean that you should be able to stick your hand in the remains of the fire without feeling any heat.
- You typically start a fire by gathering and igniting small, easy-to-burn material (such as dried grass, leaves, etc.) and then adding progressively larger, more substantial burnable material on top of that.
- Never lose sight of the importance of oxygen in the combustion process. You will often need to fan a spark or flame to get the process going until you have sufficient embers for the process to be self-sustaining. You will also need to adjust or “stir” the fire periodically to maintain good oxygenation.
- You do not need to dig a “fire pit.” I don’t know why this is such a common thing. Yes, there are ways of cooking that involve digging a pit, but that is very rarely why people do it. Pit fires generate more smoke, raise the risk of root fires (which can be very dangerous), leave scars on the landscape, and consume calories that could have been put to better use. Just build a fire on the surface of the ground.
- Always use deadwood. Not only will this lessen your impact on the ecosystem, but live (wet) wood is very difficult to burn. Don’t cut down healthy trees to build your fire unless you have absolutely no other choice in an extreme survival situation.
- Try to avoid fallen logs that have been down for a long time. Decomposition has already reduced the caloric content of the wood, there are likely many small animals utilizing that resource, and such logs usually have a high moisture content from being in contact with the soil (again making them harder to burn). Standing or leaning dead wood is best.
- Rock rings, while popular, are rarely needed. Sometimes, rocks can be used for cooking purposes (to rest a pan on, to retain and radiate heat, etc.), but there is no “rule” saying you need to gather rocks and make a ring. This is extra and often avoidable work and increases your footprint in the wild.
- If you do use rocks in a fire, avoid river rocks (or use them with great caution). Rocks that have been submerged for extended periods may have water trapped in the pores or fissures. This can result in a high-pressure situation when the water boils, potentially fracturing the rock and sending shards into those sitting around the fire.
- Be aware that different species of wood vary dramatically in their characteristics as firewood. One example of this would be pitch pine (see below). In general, deciduous timber burns more cleanly than coniferous wood. There is a lot more to learn about this topic that we can’t fit here, but just be aware for now that not all wood is equal.
- Pitch pine is usually used unwittingly by campers who come across the stump remains of a pine tree. These stumps often have very high sap content (making them heavier and stickier than other wood). While it is possible to utilize this resource in a survival situation in very specific ways, what usually happens is that you end up with a large, dense stump that you can’t put out no matter how much water you pour on it that will continue to smoke for days (a dark, oily smoke that will run people off from the area).
- Consider using a “hobo candle” (follow LIFE HACKS for our upcoming story about these), LED lantern, or another light source instead of a campfire. In well-used natural areas, deadwood often gets consumed quickly. This wood is normally recycled by the ecosystem and removing large amounts of it en masse can have deleterious effects on the area. If cooking is your goal, you will likely find a camp stove much easier for that purpose.
- If you do choose to have a fire, don’t be wasteful. You don’t need a sacrificial pyre just to roast marshmallows. Just burn what you need and leave the rest of the wood for the forest.
- Be aware of burn bans and other laws governing open fires. Many cities have strict rules about how fires must be maintained. Even if you are at a campsite with a fire pit, fires may be prohibited due to the current risk of wildfires spreading. Parks will often have this information posted on a message board near the entrance, or you can look at their website or Google “burn ban” with the name of the county to make sure.
Once you have these safety tips and other advice in mind, you’ll be ready to light a blaze on your own. As you gain experience, you will become more familiar with how heat is transferred.
There are ways of taking advantage of each of these processes. For example, placing your back to a rock wall with a fire in front of you will absorb and reflect radiation back to you, warming you faster and more evenly.
You will learn how to manage your fire to avoid smoke wafting into everyone’s face (hint- you take advantage of convection to carry the smoke above and away from your campsite).
You will learn how to use a stick or rake to keep your wood stirred and situated for maximum oxygenation. Eventually, it will become second nature to maintain your embers and blaze at a consistent pace so everyone doesn’t have to move their chairs back and forward every few minutes.
There is much more to learn, but we have covered a lot for an introductory piece. So, follow LIFE HACKS for more advanced articles coming soon!
Please ask your campfire questions or feel free to share your campfire tips below. Or, join our Facebook group for more great tips and tricks!
Happy Trails!
The shortlink for this article is bit.ly/fire-basics
