Written By Peter G. DrakeIllustrated by Rich
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Next to having water to drink, being able to build and fight a
fire, no matter how wet it is or even if you don't have any
matches, is probably the most important survival skill. -
All of us in Scouting think that we can build a fire - but
can we? Just go out some time when it has been raining for
several days and try - you might get an unpleasant
surprises
Remember, any fire needs the following three things:
beat, fuel and oxygen. If any of them is missing, the fire will
not burn.
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How and where
The first thing we must decide before we even think
about building a fire is "What is it going to be used for?" A
fire that will effectively keep a group of people warm will not
be the best kind of fire to cook your food on.
And do you just want to use the fire for one meal before moving on
or is it going to be part of a static camp? the following are just
a few fire designs:
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Next we have to find a site for our fire, and remember -
the damp from the ground will be drawn up, so if it is very
wet underfoot you should build a platform of logs, thick
sticks or flat stones to build the fire on.
This method can even be used if you need to light a fire
when there is standing water on the ground. If it is raining
hard, you may need to build a shelter over the fire. Try and
make sure that both this and the platform are made of
green, and not old, dry wood. Make sure, too, it you are
building your fire on grass that you cut the turf away before
you start, as the platform will eventually burn through.
Now we must start to look around for material to build the
fireplace and fire, and to keep it going once the fire has
started.
The fireplace
It you are going to make a fire, you won't want to leave
signs behind and you also won't want to set fire to the
surrounding country - so make sure that you clear the fire
site and if there is grass on the ground that you cut a turf out.
Be especially careful if you build your fire on peat - once it
catches fire it can be very hard to extinguish. Also, make
sure that you don't damage trees by lighting the fire too
near them or under overhanging branches.
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To contain the fire and make it easier to cook on you will need to suround the
fire with rocks or logs. if you use rocks never use ones that have
been in water as they could explode when hot. If you use logs, try to find
green ones that will take longer to cath fire.
These same rules apply if you are building your fire on a platform.
If it is very windy dig a trench and light your fire in that.
Building the fire
You will need three types of fuel when building your fire - tinder, kindling
and heavier fuel.
Tinder is the material that you light. It will have to generate enough heat to
set your kindling on fire, which in turn will light the heavier fuel. Items
that can be used as tinder include paper, fluff from your pockets, fine strips
of silver birch bark, bandage, cotton woool and so on.
Place your tinder in a small pile in the middle of the fireplace and build the
kindling around it, making sure that you do not pack it too tight, as the
fire will need oxygen to burn well. Make sure that you have plenty of
kindling available, so that you can add more as the fire becomes established.
Once the kindling is well alight you can then add the larger fuel, trying to
make sure that the first fuel you add is as dry as possible. Never throw wood
onto a fire, always place it carefuly.
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Lighting the fire
There are a number of ways of lighting the fire other than by
using matches, so try them - they need plenty of practice.
If there is a strong wind, shelter the fire before you try to
fight it.
Flint and steel: using a piece of flint and some steel.
Flint and steel (II): using a ready-prepared flint and steel
kit (you will see later in the series for how to make one of these).
You will find that the ready-prepared kit is much easier to
use and is more effective. Cotton wool is a very good tinder
to use with this method.
Lens: Direct the sun's rays through the lens so that the
rays converge in to a sharp point on the tinder. Once the
tinder starts to smoulder and glow, blow it gently to
encourage flames- Try using the lens incorporated in some
compass bases or a pair binoculars as well as just an
ordinary magnitying glass.
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Wool and AA Battery: Get some of the finest wire wool that you can
and connect the battery to it using two wires.
After a short time the wire wool wil start to glow, at which point you should
put some tinder over it and blow gently.
Fire By Friction: I am including this method in the list as it
can be useful, but it does need a great deal of practice and some dry wood,
and is probably the most difficult menthod described. Make sure that the
baseboard is made of dry, soft wood and that the spindle is made of harder wood.
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Matches: If you have matches, always strike them into the
wind. If the matches are damp or wet, wipe the striking end
in your hair - the natural grease will help them to dry out. If
matches are in short supply you can make them go further
by splitting them in half lengthways.
You can make normal matches waterproof by coating
them with candle wax, or you can buy special-matches
called 'lifeboat matches' which will burn in high wind or
even underwater.
There are a number of other methods of lighting fires, but
many of them involve chemicals or more hazardous ways
of making a spark to start the fire. By all means try these,
but make sure that younger Members of the Troop are
always closely supervised.
Programme ideas
- Find as many different types of tinder as you can, and
make a chart listing the advantages and disadvantages
of each.
- Get each Patrol or group of people to select a cooking
fire design, build it and light it. This will give you an idea
of the benefits of each type.
- See how quickly you can light a fire using the above methods.
- Construct models of the different types of fires for cooking on.
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