Reasons to light a fire

[greensurfingbear]

Don't wanna let Prometheus's hard work go to waste right???

I agree with you though, some folks do seem to just like BIG fires....there is a time a place for them of course

there is something really satisfying about sitting shoot the breeze around a camp fire.

I learnt an important lesson when I was younger. Make the fire smaller and sit closer.....saved spending the whole weekend camping trip just collecting fire wood

 

[dave53]

fire is primal its in are dna since our caveman ancestors first made it. food,warmth,light,security social,and as john said it gives you a sense of place( man make fire) regards dave

 

[leealanr]

One of the most common sights in Jordan, even in summer, actually especially in summer, is families BBQ'ing at the side of the road, at picnic spots, in wadi's with running water etc. No one really here NEEDS an open fire, but they all have one, its really a part of man's history and is an integral part of our psyche. I want one because it takes me way back, makes me happy and connects me with those around me.

I have never felt that in a goretex bivi bag in a lakeland fell in winter with my mates. Enjoyed yes, close to those that matter.....?

going to Cyprus this weekend, hope to have a few open fires on the beach then, complete with wife and kids. Great!

Alan L.

 

[Harvestman]

Thanks for all the replies chaps. Interesting that most of the justifications for having a fire are social rather than practical. As a largely solo camper I suppose that's a bit alien to me.

I also notice quite a few reasons that boil down to 'keeping nature at bay' - keeps insects off, deters bears, etc. I would entirely agree about deterring bears, but for me going outdoors is about getting closer to nature, not about fending it off. A fire scares off wildlife of all sorts, and after dark you can't see a thing beyond your little ring of firelight.

Hmm, interesting. As usual, there is more than one way to do something, and it all depends on what you want to get out of it.

Thanks. Further thoughts are welcome of course.

 

[gsfgaz]

You cant go camping without a fire ... u need a fire for heat, as u need a tent for sleep .

 

[SimonD]

Solo camping is a different ball game entirely - there are no social constraints and you can keep warm in your bed, so all you need fire for is the cookng bit

i have to disagree with you there john. for me, camping and fire go hand in hand, particulary when i'm on my own. i think its a comfort thing, not entirely sure, but i know i feel more relaxed once the fires established.

 

[Harvestman]

You cant go camping without a fire ... u need a fire for heat, as u need a tent for sleep .

You see, I disagree with this entirely. I've done trips involving several consecutive overnighters, in winter, without ever lighting a fire. Food and a sleeping bag was sufficient for warmth, even if the food was cold. I wouldn't do it that way any more, but it still worked, and I was comfortable.

I haven't used a tent in years. Tarp for me every time, except when I do without.

Of course, that's in the UK. In other parts of the world, a fire probably is a necessity

 

[Doc]

I think the desire for a campfire is hardwired into our brains from primitive times. The urge to go fishing or hunting is probably similarly instinctive.

That said, we are thinking animals and have the power of decision over it. I like a fire and will invariably have one when it is leave-no-trace feasible and environmentally sound. But that also means I can -and should - choose to go without the pleasure in certain environments. I often camp on loch islands which are refuges of ancient Caledonian forest and tend to skip the fire.

 

[PaulSanderson]

fire is one of those primal things that we as humans seem to crave. apart from the cooking, heating and lighting aspects of it, we probably in all honesty do not NEED it...yet we crave it. it makes us feel secure, and as a pack animal, thats important to us as humans.

If its a cheeky solo overnighter, the less fire the better as it just draws attention to us, alone in the woods at night, all alone with our heebie-jeebies. However, in a social gathering then i think fire is important. it defines a 'place' upon which we centre...home is where the hearth is

 

[Imagedude]

You can't toast your marshmallows without a fire.

 

[ashes1627]

Fire keeps deer away from your campsite where they could get tangled up in guylines and paracord while you sleep. Down here deer are a common visitor to my favourite spot, as I'm sure the locals will agree!

 

[rik_uk3]

How many four season hill campers/moutaineers have fires? next to 0%, equipment/clothing/tent will keep you warm so there is no real need for a fire other than its a social point of an evening.

There is an awful lot of wood wasted by bushcrafters, even hobo/honey stoves use the stuff and its so easy to deplete an area of dead wood just for the sake of lighting up to make a brew as I've often seen done in the past...really really really pees me off.

The main reason I bought a woodburner for the tent is to cut back on the wood I use, only have fires now come dusk and won't use it on all my trips during the warmer months; I've always relied on stoves for my cooking needs.

So for me a fire = social point

 

[Bushwhacker]

It all sounds like camping rather than bushcraft to me. No need for a fire if you've got loads of kit.

 

[rik_uk3]

It all sounds like camping rather than bushcraft to me. No need for a fire if you've got loads of kit.

A big part of Bushcraft is camping, leave home to stay out overnight and you have gone camping, that simple. Loads of kit? Maybe, its up to you. You should have clothing and shelter to match the seasons anyway so at best a fire is a bonus; plus if you limit yourself to woodland you are missing out on some glorious areas of the UK, in fact far bigger areas than our limited woodland has on offer. Your not going to have fires in most of the Brecon Beacons or Snowdonia so does no fire mean no visit? I hope not for your sake as you are the looser.

Sites like Glyn Y Mul Farm have been stripped bare by us lot having lots of fires down there (and I'm as guilty as the next on that site) and in fact seeing the condition this wonderful site got into fast was the main reason for me re-thinking my attitude towards open fires. Its a reason Nigel and I only take one or two people to 'our' spot near Sennybridge; with care there is enough wood to last years, open it up to groups and Puffff, all gone in a season or two at most. I'm looking into the feasibility of fire bricking my wood burner and using coal to be honest (anyone got any ideas on this and I'll listen with pleasure).

 

[Stringmaker]

The guys I work with know about my interest in bushcrafty stuff and my firelighting sessions with the school groups.

My tongue-in-cheek philosophy is that when the lights go out, he who can make fire will survive....

That and having a shotgun licence

 

[BOD]

Much of what has been said applies to me though i often wonder if its a substitute for giving up tobacco all those years ago.

I love the smell of woodsmoke

 

[WeThePeoplexfbm]

im not gonna sit in the cold -_-


---
Skipp

 

[mace242]

Not seen much mention as fire as a tool. I tend to use one for several reasons - in order of importance to me.

1. Cooking and a brew (though if this is the only reason for a fire, I'll use a stove)
2. As a tool (using embers to burn holes, using heat to straighten shafts for arrows, etc)
3. For comfort (warmth, morale, etc. But this is the UK - we don't really need it generally if we're properly equipped)
4. Practice (to keep my fire lighting skills in practice)
5. Just 'cuse it's nice!

I rarely light a fire and generally it's because I need it for a specific reason. In fact I think I have more bonfires in the garden to get rid of garden rubbish than I ever do campfires....

 

[Harvestman]

You can't toast your marshmallows without a fire.

Now that IS a good reason for a fire!

 

[treadlightly]

How many four season hill campers/moutaineers have fires? next to 0%, equipment/clothing/tent will keep you warm so there is no real need for a fire other than its a social point of an evening.

There is an awful lot of wood wasted by bushcrafters, even hobo/honey stoves use the stuff and its so easy to deplete an area of dead wood just for the sake of lighting up to make a brew as I've often seen done in the past...really really really pees me off.

The main reason I bought a woodburner for the tent is to cut back on the wood I use, only have fires now come dusk and won't use it on all my trips during the warmer months; I've always relied on stoves for my cooking needs.

So for me a fire = social point

I've noticed that the more nights people spend outdoors (especially solo) the smaller, more practical are the fires they light. Someone who camps out once in a blue moon tends to enjoy the novelty value of the fire and builds a big one. Someone who does it often sees the fire as a means to an end, ie cooking food, brewing a hot drink and keeping warm in the time between dusk and bed.