Fire Safety & Primitive Fire Methods

What is the #1 Survival skill that should be learned by everyone?? Fire Knowing how to build a fire is the best survival skill you can have. Fire provides warmth, light, and comfort so you get on with the business of survival. Even if you do not have adequate clothing a good fire can allow you to survive in the coldest of environments. Fire keeps away the creatures that go bump in the night and so you can have the peace of mind and rest you need. And that is not all. Fire will cook your food and purify your water, both excellent attributes when you want to stay healthy when potential disease causing organisms are lurking about. Fire will dry your clothing and even aid in the making of tools and keeping pesky insects at bay. But even that is not all. Fire and smoke can be used for signaling very long distances.

Fire Safety Before any fire is attempted to be built, we must first consider the safety factors that are needed to be observed .

Things To Consider Before Building a Fire What is the fire danger for the time of year and the location you have selected? Are regulations in place? Does the landowner (Government or Private) permit fires on their property? A permit may be needed. Are Ground Fires allowed or just small cook stoves? Can a 10 foot area (five feet out from the center) be cleared to sufficiently reduce fire spread?

Things To Consider Before Building a Fire Is there sufficient room and material available to build a fire containment ring? Do NOT use wet rocks! They will explode when heated. Are tree branches overhanging your chosen area? (No branches or other Flammable object should be present) Is wind going to be a factor in spreading your fire? Is the fire well away from tents or tarps? Is there sufficient wood so its removal will not be noticeable?

Things To Consider Before Building a Fire Fires should be kept small and burning for only the time you are using it. Use only sticks that can be broken by hand, a good rule to follow is use wood no bigger than the diameter of your wrist. Avoid building fires next to rock outcrops where the black scars will remain for many years. Avoid stacking firewood right next to the fire, keep it away a minimum of 10 feet away to avoid the wind pushing the flames into it. Is someone going to be available to attend the fire at all times? Is water or a shovel available to put out the fire when the need arises?

Properly extinguishing your fire

Properly extinguishing your fire Allow the wood and coals to burn completely to ash, if possible. Pour lots of water on the fire, drown ALL embers, not just the red ones Pour until hissing sound stops Stir the campfire ashes and embers with a shovel or a stick Scrape the sticks and logs to remove any embers .

Properly extinguishing your fire Stir and make sure everything is WET and they are COLD to the touch. Do not touch it if you doubt it is cold, pass your hand close to it. A good indicator to look for is there will be no white or light gray colored areas any leftover wood that was burning If you do not have water, use dirt. Mix enough dirt or sand with the embers. Continue adding and stirring until all material is cool. Remember: do NOT bury the fire as the fire will continue to smolder and could catch roots on fire that will eventually get to the surface and start a wildfire.

Properly extinguishing your fire Scatter the cold ashes over a large area away from the fire pit rather than leaving a pile, and move your rocks back to their place of origin. In some areas ashes may need to be packed out with you Scatter unused wood to keep the area looking as natural as possible

Now on to Primitive Fire Methods