Fire

From WildernessWiki.org

Fire basics

Fire reguires three components to exist; Fuel, Heat, and Oxygen.

Fuel Fuel wood is catagorised in three groups; Tinder, Kindling, and Fuel wood. Tinder is the smallest wood you will need. Tinder consists of twigs smaller then your little finger, less then 1/8 of an inch thick. Kindling is slightly larger, ranging from 1/2 inch to about an inch, or little finger to thumb. Fuel wood is the largest size you will need and consists of anything larger then your thumb.

Heat To ignite your fuel you need an ignition source. In domestic situations matches or lighters work fine. In a survival situation one may not afford such comforts. Other ignition sources are flint and steel, magnesium, bow drill, a 9-volt battery and steel wool, parabolic mirror, or magnifying glass.

Oxygen For fire to exist a constant flow of oxygen, thus the constant blowing.

These three items must be in balance. To much of one will smother the others.

Building a Fire

Before lighting a proper fire, one must gather all the proper materials. To do this properly could take up to an hour. First, gather dry tinder. Tinder can be found under pine trees and in dead branches. To ensure success with lighting a fire you should gather at least an armful of tinder, you cannot have to much. Second, gather kindling. The same applies to kindling as tinder; look under trees and for dead branches. Again an armful is not excessive, the more the better. Finally, the fuel. Fuel wood can be slightly damp and still be effective. When all your supllies are gathered place them within reach of your fire area.

There are several different types of fire "lays"; the teepee, log cabin, lean-to, fire trench, and many others. The most important part about the fire lay is to allow for the addition of fuel, oxygen access, and control. Each lay has its strengths and weaknesses, so the appropriate lay changes dependent on the situation.

The Teepee The teepee is your stereotypical fire lay seen in film. The teepees strong points lie in its quick lighting and large light output. The teepee can be built by starting with tinder and building up to kindling and gradualy to fuel wood. The teepee can be easily sustained by adding pieces of fuel wood to the exterior of the fire as needed. The teepee is light from the bottom interior.

The Log Cabin Named due to its resemblance to the colonial style house, the log cabin fire is known for its heat output and use for cooking. The log cabin is built by creating a small teepee of tinder and small kindling. Around this one constructs a log cabin out of fuel logs and kindling. The log cabin is lit from the interior teepee. The fire can then be sustained by adding fuel logs to the cabin as it burns down.

The Lean-to The lean-to is used when building a fire in an extremely windy condition. The lean-to's simple construction involves the use of one large fuel log as a wind barrier. Then Kindling is leaned up against the log on the leeward side, away from the wind. In the gap under the kindling place tinder. The lean-to is light from under the kindling. After lighting the lean-to is sustained by adding fuel logs over the burning kindling.

The Fire Trench The fire trench is more about the fire site then actual build. The trench fire is essentially a fire set in the ground. This serves to protect the fire from wind as well as to provide a low profile for cooking. To build a trench fire one must dig a trench then build a small fire in the trench. The type of fire lay is not important. After lighting the coals can be spread down the trench for cooking or warmth distribution. The trench can also be used for directional control of air flow.

Fire Safety

Every year millions of acres of forest land are destroyed by fire. Thus fire safety is crucial. Fires lit in interior fireplaces or residential fire pits are relatively safe, but proper precautions should be taken. Keep a hose or bucket of water close by for quick extinguishing.

In an outdoor fire situation there are many variables to account for. First one should check with local authorities to check for fire bans or restrictions. In a typical outdoor fire water may not readily available. In those situations a shovel and dirt, or non-water fire extinguisher could be used. Also in any outdoor fire situation a fire ring should be used. If none is available one can be made out of non-flammable materials.