Different fire lays

[Tony]

So, I'm thinking that it would be good to have a thread with different fire lays and variants of them, I know some people prefer a star fire when possible, while others just chuck it into a pile and get on.

What fire lays do like and why? Pictures would be great and the more the merrier as it would be good to have a lot of varieties in here...

 

[bopdude]

If solo or a small group a reflector of big logs is always nice, 1 for the heat, of course, 2 for the look and 3, because they'll burn later

Last weekend out with me and the boy

 

[Tony]

That's a good sized fire, plenty of heat off of that...

 

[bopdude]

That's a good sized fire, plenty of heat off of that...

Oh there was it was all dead fall and we were grateful for it later on as the sun set and the temps dropped off.

 

[Wayne]

When camping alone I don't often bother with a fire. I use a stove and my Kelly kettle. Generally though I am with a group so I need to cook and keep plenty of people warm. I find a parallel fire lay. Long log fire the most fuel effecient.

One no end can be used for simmering and the coals for several Dutch ovens. The other end can be kept more intense for boiling water and offering a cheery glow.

Whatever fire ire lay I choose I'm guaranteed to be the one sitting in the smoke.

 

[Dave]

We were mostly using an upside down fire in Ontario.

 

[John Fenna]

I like a Hunters fire when on my own
... with others along it often turns into just a lot of parrallel sticks burning - we do not often have much choice in our fuel and rarely get any decent sized logs....

 

[leon-1]

Situation dictates what to use. Siberian firelay to start, if I require large amounts of heat and fire wood is in good supply I would use a "Jenga" style tower. If it's a fire for cooking then I would probably convert that to a long log fire for cooking on, once I'd finished using it as a cooking fire convert to a star fire to conserve firewood. If it was then required to heat a leanto I'd convert back to a long log fire with a heat reflector.

 

[Hoodoo]

Don't have a link but I read an article awhile back that measured the efficiency of heat production and evidently the most efficient fire is the one that is as tall as it is wide.

 

[Tony]

A 'Box' fire

 

[Totumpole]

A good long fire is great for cooking and spewing out heat. This one was used when I was sleeping in a lean to shelter in the week long woodland ways course and the heat was needed to be able to sleep without a sleeping bag (as was the aim of the week).


I tried the upside down fire a while back as there was a pretty good source of fuel. Worked a charm, kept me warm into the evening and took no maintenance burning with flames for a good 3 hours. It provides an excellent bed of embers to anneal a file knife I was making. The embers would also be great for cooking on.


A small "standard" fire with fuel the thickness of your thumb is all you need for a simple meal and a brew. Ideal for a cheeky overnighter.


If I'm not setting up camp, or open fires are a no-no or I want to use minimal fuel then the good old hobo stove/ honey stove/emberlit is order of the day. Still something very satisfying to have fire over gas/liquid fuel.



I've been meaning to try a Dakota fire pit too, as it seems a very economical (and stealthy) option.

 

[MegaWoodsWalker]

Maybe it's just me but I hardly ever forage those big logs I see on some of those fire lays. Mostly it's stuff like this.









I do occasionally get some big stuff but this is very rare when hiking/backpacking/on da move at least for me.

 

[bopdude]

Maybe it's just me but I hardly ever forage those big logs I see on some of those fire lays. Mostly it's stuff like this.

I do occasionally get some big stuff but this is very rare when hiking/backpacking/on da move at least for me.

It doesn't always work that way for me either, just so happens that the last trip was in a woodland after a few storms and they were to hand.

 

[MegaWoodsWalker]

It doesn't always work that way for me either, just so happens that the last trip was in a woodland after a few storms and they were to hand.

I totally agree. It is very possible to have easier to forage larger fuel without the need to cut down trees etc etc. This is on the AT. Both times a good distance from a road. Nice easy to forage wood. Just as you stated that can be the exception rather than rule for many areas. Huge fire ring in that second photo. Some areas have them pre setup which is nice.

 

[bopdude]

Yeah the woods we were in has a fair few designated fire pits, some or lots of the bricks are displaced but it's not a big job to put them back in some form of order before we go