Fire with Cubs

[Stew]

I'm an Assistant Scout Leader and my time spent working with Cubs is rather limited so I would like some advice.

A few weeks back the Cub Leader was asking where she could learn to make a fire back as they wanted to do a fire making session. I said I would help them out.

Now, thinking back to when I was a Beaver, Cub, Scout, we were taught firemaking in 2 different ways.

Both used balls of newspaper under a pile of wood. One was the 'tipi' method where kindling was laid lengthways up the paper. The other was by laying two sticks perpendicular to each other with the paper between. Two more sticks were then placed at 90 degrees to the first, on top of them. This carried on, with the sticks getting closer together as the stack got higher. (The idea was that the gaps let lots of air in.) Just having a little look in RM Bushcraft, he describes it as the criss-cross firelay.

Now, I don't use either of these methods anymore, but they are simple to do even if not the most effective.

I'm just not too sure what the Cubs can cope with. I want them to understand and enjoy it but I'm also conscious of patronising them. With the Scouts I would have no worries as I'm used to them.

Maybe I need to play around a bit.

I'm thinking of sending them all out to gather lots of longish bits of kindling then laying one end against a larger branch. The tinder can go in the gap left underneath. I'm erring towards using newspaper although I'm tempted to get a bag of hay to use.

What techniques do you use? Any suggestions?

 

[spamel]

Criss cros bangs out a lot of heat and is good for getting a bed of embers. I don't like the tipi lay too much as it can become unstable. It is the typical look of a camp fire, but I'd go with criss cross and maybe the star fire or indians fire to add after the criss cross is going.

Either way, it's fire so the boys will love it!

 

[twisted firestarter]

I'm listening intently to this post and taking notes because I will be teaching a bunch of kids the same thing next week at Woodcraft

 

[spamel]

I showed the Girl Guides up at Silkwood Scout Camp how to collect the peeling birch bark from trees, not taking too much from each one mind. They collected way too much but it got the fire going! I peeled some first to show them what bits to gather, then lit it with the fire steel. They were surpirsed at it lighting up like that and I think they learnt something new and hopefully the'll remember it. I then set them off gathering and it kept them happy and busy for quite a while!

No better way of starting a fire in any weather!

 

[Stew]

Criss cros bangs out a lot of heat and is good for getting a bed of embers. I don't like the tipi lay too much as it can become unstable. It is the typical look of a camp fire, but I'd go with criss cross and maybe the star fire or indians fire to add after the criss cross is going.

Cool. I wasn't sure if it was a good method as it's so long since I've done it!

Either way, it's fire so the boys will love it!

Absolutely! I'll certainly enjoy myself....

 

[brancho]

My advice is to avoid fire steels with cubs as they struggle to get enough sparks due to lack of co-ordination and strength in my experience.

You will find half of them are terified of matches so getting to light a match can be an acievment in itself. I would get them to use matches to get them used to using them for gas stoves etc later.

 

[Goose]

If you do use a firesteel get some reedmace, it is great for a demo it goes up really easily but doesn't sustain very well, but it gives them a chance to make their own fire!
Another thing to do is ask the scouts, see what they remember and the things that have stuck in their mind.

 

[Wallenstein]

We did firelighting with our cubs last night - we used pallets as our wood source (we're in the centre of town so have to use the carpark and whatever wood we can grab!).

Got them using firesteels with cottonwool / vaseline as tinder - caught light v. easily, and once the fires were going we went round and let everyone have a go at striking sparks into the cottonwool tinder.

We've still not quite instilled correct fireside etiquette - don't poke it too much, don't kick sparks etc - but hopefully by the time summer camp comes around they'll be a bit more used to the whole thing.

Anyway, thoroughly recommend firesteels and cottonwool for 8-10 y/olds - they loved making fires with sparks, it was enough of a challenge that it took a few goes to get right, but they all managed it in the end.

 

[crazydave]

one match fires are a good thing to teach cubs. I was taught it aged 8 and my reward for a good fire was a pan and a pack of sausages.

if they cant get a fire going then the source of ignition is acedemic

 

[JohnC]

I did this with scouts, many had little idea how to light a match, but we went through sources, lighter, matches, (even the parabolic reflecter Ray uses) steel wool and a battery, firesteels with cotton wool and vaseline were the most popular, the fire drill and blowing embers into flame was demonstrated and afew had a go, only one success but he was pretty pleased. We did that one week and then lit fires the next week at the campsite.

 

[crazydave]

a few years ago I was doing basic trangias with a scout troop and one of the boys was in tears. I asked him what was wrong and it turned out he was terrified of striking a match.

he'd had years of the 'thats dangerous never do that' that it made him practically useless and it took months to get him used to fires and knives.

I blame the parents who seem to forget that they were kids and just react to everything they read in the press. just like the scout association really - its got so proffessional that they've forgotten the ethos.

 

[fishy1]

a few years ago I was doing basic trangias with a scout troop and one of the boys was in tears. I asked him what was wrong and it turned out he was terrified of striking a match.

he'd had years of the 'thats dangerous never do that' that it made him practically useless and it took months to get him used to fires and knives.

I blame the parents who seem to forget that they were kids and just react to everything they read in the press. just like the scout association really - its got so proffessional that they've forgotten the ethos.

When I was is scouts, which was about 3 years ago, we never had anyone scared of fires. Indeed, most of us were pyromanics, I remember huge bonfires, and burning dead gorse just for the fun of it.

 

[crazydave]

you'll understand my amazement then, a couple of years back she left her lot alone for a bit and came back to find they'd burnt 50 odd pallets - little sods.

 

[phaserrifle]

round here
scouts = pyromaniacs
scouts + boredom = attempts to light fires
scouts + no matches = desperate begging of leaders/me
me + new firesteel = testing it on own jeans (while wearing them)
scouts + fire lighting + petrol + firebucket +unsespecting explorer = singed eyebrows + swearing