Reasons to light a fire

[Harvestman]

I suspect I'm just thinking aloud here...

I've been thinking about this for a while, and wondering why lighting a fire seems to be almost automatic amongst bushcrafters and outdoor types like us.

So far as I can see, there are three main reasons for lighting a fire
1. Survival - you need the heat, or possibly the smoke to send a signal. Without the fire you would be in trouble.
2. Cooking (also for sterilisation purposes for wateretc)
3. Socially. It gives you something to sit around - a focus for the group in the evening.

I don't really buy into the 'fire as light' argument, since we all carry torches, and if you need the fire as your only source of light then you are propbably in a survival situation.

It was point three that I was considering. Do we always need a fire, or are we sometime guilty of just buring wood for the sake of it? For most of us, with a decent sleeping bag and shelter system, a fire isn't really essential in order to keep us warm, especially once we have eaten some hot food. I solo camp a lot, and I usually let my woodburning stove go out once the meal is done. I get into my sleeping bag and I've been warm all night, even when camping in snow in the depths of winter.

I see some threads (and have seen some people) where the amount of wood collected and subsequently burned seems to be enormous, for conditions when the temperature is nowhere near low enough for a fire to be a necessity for warmth.

Now, I don't want to start an argument, and no criticism is intended of anyone, but I do wonder whether we sometimes light a fire unnecessarily, and burn more wood than we should.

Thoughts anyone? I would welcome opinions here, as I'm not entirely sure where I stand on this myself. After all, firelighting is very satisfying, and watching a fire burn is fascinating.

 

[shaggystu]

fire makes a place feel like home

stuart

 

[Bushwhacker]

For some it can stave boredom and loneliness - gives you something to do, keeps your mind active by preparing, lighting and maintaining and is good for moral.

 

[Mesquite]

fire makes a place feel like home

stuart

Home is where the heat is

 

[Muddypaws]

Yes we probably treat fire as a social thing, and have fires when we don't really need them, but it is an elemental thing (probably brings out the caveman ancestor in all of us, and is a deeply ingrained part of human nature), and you are right, making fire is a fascinating thing.

 

[Nova & Pinky]

Watching the flames is a passtime in itself

 

[shaggystu]

Home is where the heat is

i like what you did there, nice work steve

 

[lab72]

I love a fire but only if it is needed .

 

[Silverhill]

'Bushcraft TV' is great, however I too question it's use in at least 75% of cases. Like many have said before; the fire creates a focus for the group or gathering, as well as providing something basic to keep the mind ticking over. Despite this, if you use an area too often you'll soon notice how quickly the locality becomes stripped of dead and standing wood.

 

[The Big Lebowski]

It give's you something to focus on... both in preperation and end result, but I agree, it might not always be necessary!

Socially, It gives us something to gather around as a focal point, alone it give's us some inner security and keeps the mind/muscles active.
The downside is, our brains are automatically programmed to put the smell of smoke, and then fire together and smoke travel's a very long way if you are trying to keep a semi-low profile. I have smelled camfire smoke a long way off, before coming across a group/individual.

I would say winter its a must, spring/summer, well- 50/50

Another aspect to think about is, living in a modern age...
A large proportion of us rarely get to see actual living flames. Central heating has replaced the woodburner/coalfire in most of our lives but we still find watching the glowing embers of a campfire mesmarising,
no matter what our backgrounds or interests are.

al.

 

[Paul_B]

For some it can stave boredom and loneliness - gives you something to do, keeps your mind active by preparing, lighting and maintaining and is good for moral.

Boredom? Loneliness? Sorry but it sounds as if ebing out there isn't enough in its own right? I just love to be outside. Also there must be something you can do other than make and maintain a fire. I do agree a fire is good for moral and a social focus for groups. You are hardly going to all sit around a trangia chatting all night. Although I have seen people do that before now with stoves. Even a candle lantern and a gas lantern where there was no fire.

I guess that is all about the primal fascination with fire. Certainly (forgive me if this sounds sexist) it is that with men. Afterall how many men out there haven't set fire to the odd thing at school or when a kid outside school?? We got our kicks for a single term from gunpowder and other compounds that go bang or burn fiercely. I guess the fire at camp is now the adult and acceptable face of what we all probably got up to as kids with fire. Primal fascination I reckon. <cue caveman grunt!!>

 

[Paul_B]

Just realised most of the time I am out I don't have a fire as I'm in the hills but do miss not having flames to stare into.

Also I'm usually on the move a lot so its only a few hours when I stop that I have to cook and chill out so would probably not bother setting a fire even if in the right sort of area for it. Too busy walking on early and stopping late. See more that way I think.

 

[mountainm]

If I find a witch then I knock up a quick pyre - has to be done.

Other than that a fire is great for comfort and morale and appeals to some remnant of hominid still left inside us that thinks.. "I made fire, I have power".

 

[Chastiser]

certainly in the winter, a fire not only gives you heat but boosts the moral too ;-)

 

[John Fenna]

Aussie Aboriginals - it would seem from RMs prog - light fires to confirm a sense of "Place".
It would seem that a lot of us do the same...a cultural conditioning that dates back to our ancestors.
However - light is a good thing when you are socialising around the fire in the evening - there are some on this site would feed your liver to the (Viking) dogs if you shine a torch into their eyes of an evening
And I would probably help him do it!
Light is important, as is cooking and warmth, from your fire - at least in a social context.
Solo camping is a different ball game entirely - there are no social constraints and you can keep warm in your bed, so all you need fire for is the cookng bit

 

[Bushwhacker]

Keeping insects and wild animals at bay is another.

 

[_scorpio_]

the size of the fire reflects the size of the group. i find when its just me and a few others a little fire with a pot on it is enough, but when out in a big group once the tents are up everyone is out getting firewood for about the first hour. it really brings the group together and it is something which everyone has contributed to.
even when nobody is talking, they are all staring into the fire.

also, when teaching or demonstrating something bushcraft-ish to someone who does not know much but is interested, i always start with fire. a kuksa or spoon may be good and useful, but making fire from "nothing" is a real interest to a lot of people.

 

[Husky]

I usually don't need a fire but I can sit for hours just staring into the flames. I have found that looking at a full moon through binoculars is almost as captivating.
But if there is a risk of depleting firewood than i suppose just burning twigs is a good practice.

 

[Hoodoo]

Fire is comfort.

 

[Shewie]

A fire for me is about keeping warm, cooking food and drying clothes/boots if the weather's been bad.

And it keeps the bears away