How to safely have a fire on/in peaty ground?

[n00b]

Wanting a fire in the woods on a windy day I dug a dakota fire hole. All fine until hours after I let it die down and saw it still smoking. The ground was steadily smouldering, the peat, out from the centre to an indeterminate distance. I had no idea how far the combustion had spread and had to dig til it was properly out, burning my hand as I sifted through the dirt to be sure. Lesson learned.

But is there a safe way to have a fire in a hole in a peaty area without risking burning down the woods? Or a safe alternative that doesn't involve gadgets and gas?

 

[Mesquite]

Tbh I'd never have an open fire directly on or in peaty soil as there's too much risk the fire burning down into it and then smouldering for some time before coming back into life and causing a fire.

You were lucky you spotted it was still smouldering.

 

[Man of Tanith]

A couple of buddies and I hiked around Glenn Affric in May
We used an established firepit at one site.
Took us over 40 filled and chain passed Mors Pots (1.8L) before we felt it was truly out.

Best way

Don't do it

 

[Broch]

Nope, no 100% safe way of having a fire on peaty ground or even deep leaf litter IMO other than to raise the fire above it (lots of earth, sand, or stone, or fire pit with shield beneath etc.). Even then I'd be extremely careful that the heat hadn't got through.

 

[n00b]

Thanks yeah I thought it wasn't possible.

You were lucky you spotted it was still smouldering.

I know. If it hadn't been right by my tent I may not have checked on it at all. A valuable lesson.

 

[Erbswurst]

You simply can't risk it unless it's totally muddy.
In August 1975 they lost 130 square kilometers vegetation in North Germany due to that.

The fires simply didn't stop for 10 days.

Brand in der Lüneburger Heide – Wikipedia

de.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Paul_B]

Why the need for a fire in such a situation anyway? I know fire lighting and maintennce skills are good to have but leave no trace is potentially hard with a fire in some terrains. So why bother with a fire?

On the other hand would it be good to share a technique for having a safe fire on peat? It might encourage ppl doing it and messing up but if ppl are going to insist on fires teaching a safe way might be good too.

 

[TLM]

Done it a few times, basically one makes the fire on top of water, meaning very wet moss spot. I much prefer any other way of heating water.

 

[n00b]

Why the need for a fire in such a situation anyway? I know fire lighting and maintennce skills are good to have but leave no trace is potentially hard with a fire in some terrains. So why bother with a fire?

On the other hand would it be good to share a technique for having a safe fire on peat? It might encourage ppl doing it and messing up but if ppl are going to insist on fires teaching a safe way might be good too.

Yeah definitely - teach people the safe way.

 

[n00b]

Done it a few times, basically one makes the fire on top of water, meaning very wet moss spot. I much prefer any other way of heating water.

The wood I'm in here has a lot of clay and sand beneath the peat I've since found, so really the answer here is just digging down to that. Not far below the surface in some places

 

[n00b]

You simply can't risk it unless it's totally muddy.
In August 1975 they lost 130 square kilometers vegetation in North Germany due to that.

The fires simply didn't stop for 10 days.

Brand in der Lüneburger Heide – Wikipedia

de.m.wikipedia.org

I had no idea how fast it might be spreading. I've worried about setting fire to peat for a while but since I never have just assumed I wouldn't. I was wrong.

 

[TLM]

Not far below the surface in some places

I think the thickest peat layer measured is something like 12m here, I am not going to wish. As said the other methods are much easier and better, but it can be done if absolutely necessary.