Campfire on the shore of Lake Superior

Campfires are Great!

Nothing conjures up romantic ideas of camping and spending time in nature quite like a campfire. It embodies the feelings that bring us back time and time again. It provides warmth, light, entertainment, a way to cook food, and a place to gather. The mesmerizing qualities of campfires are enjoyed far and wide, but there are certain factors that need to be taken into consideration before, during, and after. So today, we are going to look into fire, firewood, and fire safety.

Fire Safety

First, we are going to tackle a very important topic, fire safety. It is your responsibility to ensure you can safely and legally have a fire before lighting any campfires. Quick research or a phone call to local authorities will inform you of any fire or burn bans in the area. This is important because a ban isn’t always posted, but still enforced. So do your due diligence. Also, the authorities can let you know of any wildfires in the area that are of concern to you. Throughout the west, especially in the drier months, it can become difficult to find a campsite that isn’t at high risk of fire danger. Because of this there are burn bans in place fairly often.

Depending on the danger level, there may be different restrictions on the types of fire you can have if any. If fires are allowed, there are certain tools that may be required. The United States Forestry Service (USFS) requires you to have a shovel, an ax, and water to help control and contain your fire. They also have other guidelines to abide by. Vigilance is your biggest defense. Keep an eye on the fire. Also, have a good first aid kit with you that can address burns. Before lighting your fire consider the wind, because embers can fly from your fire quite easily causing a huge problem. Less dramatically, the wind will burn through your wood faster than normal, so think about the quantity of wood. Once you clear out the tinder and debris from the area around your fire ring you are ready to move forward.

Firewood

When it comes to firewood, you should also check into local laws. Some places prohibit the collection of firewood. It’s often prohibited to bring firewood from one area to another. This is to help prevent the spread of invasive species. Sometimes you have an entire forest waiting for you to collect some wood. If you can’t collect or bring wood, you will have to buy some. Otherwise, the forest is your oyster.

If you are collecting wood, look for dead standing wood. That is a tree that is dead but still standing. It can also be dead limbs that have gotten snagged and stayed off the ground. Dead standing wood is best because it’s dry. Out of respect to the land, never cut live trees or branches for campfires. Think about your purpose for the fire and this will help you estimate how much wood you will need to collect. While you are collecting wood, look for anything that can be used as tinder. There always seems to be some form of tinder lying around. You can use dried vegetation, cotton husks, birch bark, fatwood, and even dried scat from vegetarian animals.

Fire Prep

Once you have all of your firewood, it is time to cut it down to size. An ax or a hatchet may turn this into easy work. I have the Fiskars 14 inch hatchet, and it’s great! It’s lightweight, durable, and reliable. The size makes it easy to store, and the quality allows me to cut through firewood as if it were butter. Keep in mind; if you are in the wilderness, odds are you aren’t very close to medical assistance. One mistake and you can be in a very dangerous situation, so always use caution when using a hatchet, especially in the woods. Keep the wood low on the ground, keep your body off to the side, and NEVER use your hand to hold wood that you are chopping. You can use a stick to hold the wood you are chopping and not worry about losing any fingers.

Chop your wood to different sizes in order to make your life easier when it comes to lighting and keeping your fire going. A saw is another great tool to have. I have the Bahco Laplander folding saw, and it eats through everything I’ve thrown at it. It’s sturdy and does its job well. You can cut branches to your desired length. A great benefit to all this chopping and sawing is you are creating lots of tinder. When you are done, there will be sawdust, splinters, and very mall pieces of wood that will be laying around. Feel free to pick them up and use them to get that fire going. If you’re cold, think about what Henry Ford said. “Chop your own wood and it will warm you twice”.

Lighting Campfires

Sunset means campfire time

As sunset starts to paint the sky, many people start their campfires. Starting a fire can be as simple as taking a lighter to it, or as complicated as using primitive fire starting methods. This is completely up to you and your desires. Some people truly enjoy starting a fire with primitive methods because it connects them more closely to the fire. Another reason to use primitive ways is it helps to sharpen your skills. Some people like to use firesteels or bow-drills, while others like to get creative and use batteries or a lighter that has no more fuel in it. No matter how you light your fire, there is always a good feeling when you see those first flames starting to dance.

Campfire Styles

This brings us back to the purpose of your fire. Are you looking for warmth, light, or atmosphere? Are you going to cook over it? The reason for the fire dictates the type of fire that you should build to help accomplish that goal. For instance, a star fire or cowboy fire is great for producing light, but not much in the way of heat or producing a good coal bed. This is in contrast to lean-to campfires, which creates its own wind block, and is great for heat and keeping coals even when the conditions are less than perfect.

Log cabin campfires look great for those neurotic people out there. It’s great for warmth and enables you to not have to tend to the fire constantly. A tee-pee campfire is good for beginners, and some people love them. But they collapse a lot and need attention. If you are looking to keep a campfire going for a longer period of time, in order to cook, than a platform/upside-down fire might be your best option. Experiment with different styles of fires and see which ones work best for you, or your situation. To learn more about campfire styles, check out 5 Campfire Styles Every Camper Should Know.

Wet Conditions

Sometimes you may find yourself in an area that is moist or wet, like a rain forest. Campfires will be more difficult to light and maintain in wet areas. Lighting a fire when it’s wet is made considerably easier when you have a few tricks up your sleeve. Fatwood, or pitch wood, is a great resource. It is naturally occurring in certain trees once they die. It’s saturated with sap and resins, which easily take a flame. Some may even drip sap while it’s on fire, and the drops look like little flames falling to the ground. The difference between a cold wet night and a warm dry one could be fatwood.

If you don’t have fatwood try to plan ahead. If you can, collect some tinder and keep it dry until you’re ready to use it. You can make or buy little firestarters. Some people dip cotton, sawdust, or even dryer lint in wax. These will burn slowly and help you to spread the flame to your tinder. Once you get your fire going, some people like to dry out their next pieces of wood by placing them next to the fire. The heat pulls the moisture out of the wood, and when you place it on the fire, it is ready to combust. Depending on the type of campfires you build, you can even place some larger fuel logs across the top of the fire to create a rain block, which keeps your coals hot and your fire burning, even in the rain.

Put Campfires Dead Out

Beach campfire on the Pacific Ocean

At the end of the night, you still need to ensure the safety of your fire. The last thing you want is for a campfire to spread and turn into a wildfire. The idea of just spreading the fire around and letting it burn out is a gamble. A little bit of wind, or some unforeseen factor, and you can find yourself in a serious situation. The safest way to prevent this is to put your fire “dead out”. There are tons of signs around National Forests and BLM land that request you to drown your fire.

This will cut into your water supply, so take that into account when getting your water supply. Don’t bury your fire or its coals. It can still smolder underground for a surprising amount of time. Those coals can be exposed and reignite with the right conditions. On top of that, you are putting others at risk. If the next camper comes to your site and tries to clear out the fire pit, they have a chance of getting burned. Once it is completely out you no longer have anything to worry about.

Enjoy the Flame

Campfires are one of the better things to have at your campsite. It can help you feel comforted and protected. It can dry out your clothes from the day’s adventures and cook your food. For those who can’t sit still, campfires are a great way to keep busy. They can even keep the whole group entertained. The primal connection that fire brings is something that is irreplaceable. So learn your fires, practice them, and enjoy them. Just don’t burn the woods down.

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