Most preppers spend a lot of time learning new skills to help them survive the perils of the wild. Many of us probably know a dozen different ways to purify water, or how to build rudimentary shelters out of forest debris, and set traps for small game etc. That’s all fine and good, but in terms of life threatening scenarios, there’s only one thing that’s more dangerous than the wilderness, and that’s other people.

So while you’re learning your wilderness survival techniques, you should think about how well they might work when the wilderness is the least of your problems. If for whatever reason, you’re hiding in the woods while someone is pursuing you, then you’ll have to rethink all of those aforementioned skills with that threat in mind.

Unfortunately, one of the most pressing needs you’ll have is building a fire, which is also a dead giveaway for anyone who is looking for you. The light and smoke from a fire can reveal your position over long distances, even during the day. And in many environments on Earth, you simply can’t survive without fire. Forget about purifying water or cooking food, in many climates you won’t survive a single night without a fire. So you’ll have to figure out how to stay warm without letting anyone know where you are.

And that’s where the smokeless fire comes in. While it sounds absurd to some, in reality it’s very simple. Making a fire that doesn’t produce smoke is just a matter of making the combustion more efficient.

It’s pretty easy to build, but the trade-off is that it only conceals the smoke. When dusk arrives, you’ll need something that can eliminate both the light and the smoke, and for that you’ll need a Dakota fire pit. Making this pit involves digging a hole that is deep enough to conceal the fire, while also digging a separate shaft that will provide the ventilation to keep it going. It’s a very efficient system that burns hotter than an ordinary fire while also keeping your would-be pursuers in the dark.

As you can see, surviving in the wild is one thing, but once you consider the possibility of dealing with people that want to hurt you, you’ll have to think differently about how to attain the basic necessities. You’ll have to work a little extra hard for your warmth, but the added effort could save your life.