Fire Distance

[Bushcraftsman]

Very quick question.... in a standard hammock set up... hammock and tarp etc... what is the closest possible distance from you that you can have a fire and it still be safe? e.g. not likely to damage the tarp or anything but still allow me to be heated by the fire?

Thanks

 

[Shewie]

I tend to set mine up well away from the fire, everything I have is made from nylons so I don't fancy ruining it.

A poly cotton tarp would be better but I still wouldn't risk putting holes in the hammock when the wind picked up or switched round.

 

[The Cumbrian]

I had mine set up about 4m away from the fire here, and I still got a crater in my tarp. It was a good fire though, but it was quite cold.

Cheers, Michael.

 

[sxmolloy]

It will also depend on the wood that you are burning, some wood 'spits' little hot pieces of charcoal off, others don't.

 

[Bushcraftsman]

for a start; nice pic! and so you would both suggest just keeping the fire well away from hammocks and tarps? I suppose since they are both nylon, they'd be likely to melt

 

[The Cumbrian]

Keep it away if possible; the only reason that I was so close is that the rest of the trees on that part of the island were too close together for my tarp.

Cheers, Michael.

 

[Bushcraftsman]

alright then thanks well lets say if I ever decide to make a shelter and sleep in that instead....how far should I have the fire from that?

 

[Shewie]

If it's a nylon shelter then I'd still say keep well away, if there's no wind and you can find fuel that doesn't spit clinkers at you then you can get away with it.

When I started getting into bushcraft I used to use a decorators cotton sheet as a tarp and threw a wool blanket over the top of my bivvy bag, that way any stray sparks wouldn't harm anything I was concerned about.

 

[Bushcraftsman]

no I mean a fully natural shelter...no nylon or anything like that.

 

[Shewie]

no I mean a fully natural shelter...no nylon or anything like that.

Ahh well, you can nearly sit on top of the fire if you make it from natural materials ...

Uncle Ray demonstrates a nice long fire here ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM2KcirdNk8

 

[nigel heffernan]

I think as far away as you can no fun running around with your hair on fire lol, just wrap up well in your hammock!

 

[Bushcraftsman]

thanks for the help, yes I think I remember seeing this episode. And unfortunately now the weather is cr*p and cold i dont use my hammock, dont have an underblanket etc, tents with a single airbed (double if im with people) im afraid lol

 

[MSkiba]

Try other stuff. Like heating rocks up and slapping them under your hammock etc..

 

[Graham_S]

To be honest there is no real correct answer.
There are too many variables.
How big is the fire?
What wood are you using?
Is the fuel perfectly dry?
What are the wind conditions?
What is the hammock/tarp made of?
How is it set up?
All these things will be a factor in how close you can build the fire to the shelter.

 

[DavidJT]

To be honest there is no real correct answer.
There are too many variables.
How big is the fire?
What wood are you using?
Is the fuel perfectly dry?
What are the wind conditions?
What is the hammock/tarp made of?
How is it set up?
All these things will be a factor in how close you can build the fire to the shelter.

Agree completely. More Kochanski says "one good pace" in "Bushcraft". But that is referring to natural shelters in a Northern Canadian / Taiga forrest environment.

 

[lannyman8]

had my fire quite close and had no probs at all look here

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64376

and here....

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=62957&page=4