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When you're on the trail or at the campsite, a fire can mean the difference between cooked food and going hungry, the difference between keeping warm and freezing, the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful hike. Today, we'll quickly go through the steps to building a fire, one of the most useful survival skills for any form of outdoor adventure travel.
Parts of a Fire
A fire is composed of three parts: a fire pit, kindling, and firewood. A fire pit is a simple ring of stones or wood, designed to moderate the amount of wind that reaches the fire and to prevent the fire from spreading to the surrounding area. Kindling is any wood or paper small enough to catch fire easily, which starts the fire and allows the rest of the wood to heat up. That wood--the firewood--is what keeps the fire going for a long time without burning out.
Building a Fire
Once you have your fire pit ready, place a small heap of kindling in the center. Make sure that you can easily reach it with matches, a butane firestarter, or a cigarette lighter if you absolutely don't have anything else. Start stacking the firewood on top of the kindling, making sure that it's close enough to the kindling to catch fire, but not so close that it prevents wind from reaching the center of the fire. Stack your firewood in a pyramid pattern for best results. Once you've built your fire, light it and enjoy!
A Note on Safety
Never leave a fire unattended, and make sure that you stir the ashes of your fire once it's out in order to prevent it from flaring up again. Make sure that you know the fire safety regulations of your trail or campsite and keep to them in order to prevent site damage or forest fires.
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