Creating a safe, successful fire.

[Emdiesse]

Fire obviously has pros and cons.

What are the techniques you can carry out to avoid the cons?

For example. I'm pretty sure a fire is good at keeping away nasty animals/creatures from your camp, however. Fire can also be a hazard itself.
I know about how a wall of stones, etc seem to help.

What are the safety procedures that should/can be carried out?

Thanks,
Emdiesse
ack:

 

[alick]

Decide if you need it in the first place
Don't light one if there's danger - like during times of drought
Clear the ground well around your proposed site
Cut and remove turf if necessary - storing it safely elsewhere and keeping it watered until you replace it
Avoid a fire that will create sparks which can blow into nearby vegetation
Let it burn down then spread the embers to speed up cooling
After you put it out, check again and again because they really hate going out when you're in a hurry to move on.
Grab any charcoal you want to keep from the ashes
Then pee on it to make sure :biggthump
and check it again !

Put the turf back if necessary.

 

[PurpleHeath]

i with alick, i think that making sure you do not have a fire that will let ashes fly then you should not have a problem as long as you have made the area which you intend to put the fire safe from any dry vegation that could catch. also you should have one eye on your fire most of the time, this should be enough to stop it from spreading. but if there is a real risk of it speading (like a strong wind) then take a camping stove and use that instead.

 

[arctic hobo]

Can I add that the ring of stones which is so popular in the camping world is a bit of a myth - they don't really have an effect.

 

[bambodoggy]

Can I add that the ring of stones which is so popular in the camping world is a bit of a myth - they don't really have an effect.

No but they do look "pretty" and they give my dog something to curl himself around when he drifts off to sleep! lol ):

 

[arctic hobo]

:roll: :biggthump

 

[jakunen]

If the ground is very dry, particularly in regions with lots of bracken, or on heathland, avoid building a ground fire. The fire can spread underground and once one of those fires gets going...

The ring of stones may be a myth, but it is useful for putting hot pots and pans on...If you do use stones (I know, grandmother - eggs), make sure stones are dry and not from a river bed. Hot, sharp bits of rock are NOT fun at head height (or groin height).

If plaqued by midges or mosquitoes, make sure you stand by Gary. He ALWAYS draws smoke...):

 

[shinobi]

Can I add that the ring of stones which is so popular in the camping world is a bit of a myth - they don't really have an effect.

Not only do they not really have an effect, but they can also be quite dangerous. If there is any moisture in them, there is a fair chance they could explode when heated. They also become marked by the fire and make it harder to leave "No trace." Which should be the ultimate aim for your camping.

Cheers,

Martin

 

[tomtom]

the ring of stones generaly just scorches more ground than the fire otherwise would.. more harm than good imo

 

[match]

A better approach than a ring of stones is to carefully remove the turf from the fire site, and then replace it when you move on. However, bear in mind that you have to do this carefully, or else you will just kill the plants on the turf cutting, and make sure you let the ground cool down before re-turfing

 

[jakunen]

A better approach than a ring of stones is to carefully remove the turf from the fire site, and then replace it when you move on. However, bear in mind that you have to do this carefully, or else you will just kill the plants on the turf cutting, and make sure you let the ground cool down before re-turfing

Also, if you're there for a while, water the the cut turf...

 

[bambodoggy]

Ring of stones..... I think it's one of those "time and place things"....

Usually they are no use and all the other negatives we've all come up with.

But in a Permanant camp (and I mean permanant...not just long term) they are useful for cooking...standing pots on, frying eggs on etc and although they scorch the earth etc they are a very good way to limit the size a fire can be built. If built up high enough and with a gap they can begin to work as a chimney or a very basic Yukon stove.

As I say by and large a waste of time but there's almost always an exception to the rule......do watch out for moisture as previously warned though....not a nice way to lose a testi.....

 

[TheViking]

It's also worth remembering that one should not use flint, if you decide to do a ring of stones. But i'm sure most of us in here know that.

 

[Viking]

Put stones on the ground and then make the fire on the stones. That way you want hurt the ground and the stones will reflect the heat and make your fire burn better. When the fire has burned out spread the ashes and stones and that way you wont leave any traces of a fire.

 

[Ahjno]

Grab any charcoal you want to keep from the ashes
Then pee on it to make sure :biggthump
and check it again !

Put the turf back if necessary.

I'm with Alick too :biggthump
Learnt on my Fundamental Bushcraft course to use a pointed stick to penetrate the surface / ground where your fire once was. The holes (and actually the whole fire place) were watered (on the course with water, peeing in it, is a more economical way in saving precious drinking water. Or you like to drag a few unpurified litres from a stream or something - in order to keep in good shape).

The philosofy behind staking the ground is that is some areas bush fires are created by underground smouldering stuff ... That's something you don't want - especially not when you finally got yourself permission to use ones land for your bushcraft fetishism :rolmao: