Campfire skills, especially if you live in civilized areas of the country, are no longer as essential as they were, say, just a century ago. But every person sometimes wants something adventurous. Even age is not a hindrance to somehow unexpectedly go on a trip with tents or succumb to the calls of energetic friends this summer to relax in the savages. And for children, there are scout camps (instead of the former pioneer camps, but at the same time in "savage" conditions), which have recently become very popular. And if a scout instructor can easily teach your child the skills necessary for survival (and rather comfortable ones), then on a hiking trip you will have to cope on your own (well, with tips from experienced friends).
One of the most useful skills in the "wild" campaign will be the ability and knowledge of how to make a fire in any conditions, and even more so with improvised means. And even if then youshush this skill only when frying barbecue where there is no barbecue, you will still be proud of yourself!
Types of open fire
Let's start with the fact that, oddly enough for a city dweller, a fire can be different. For example, a fire-well is made in the form of a house without a roof, like a wooden frame: logs are laid out in a square, inside which, in fact, the fire burns. From such a hearth, the flame is low and wide, it is convenient to cook porridge or soup on it. The bonfire-star is made up of thick branches, folded at the ends in a cross. It is very good for spending the night: you do not need to continuously monitor it, just occasionally move the logs to the center of the hearth. Another bonfire very suitable for a forest overnight stay is a taiga bonfire. The logs are placed one on top of the other, chips, small branches, chips are added as a layer - for ignition. The log below should be thicker. Such a fire burns all night and will not go out in the morning, it will even be possible to make a seagull. Although it is unlikely to come in handy on a hike. The greatest benefit from it will be when igniting between barriers, and bilateral, because it is designed either to protect against large predators, or to warm in severe frosts. Although knowing how to make a fire of just this type will not be superfluous. A hunting fire will be simpler: three not very thick, but not thin logs are placed on a lining - and it also does not require attention, it burns up to 8 hours, just move the burnt one to the fire.
Sometimes a useful fire that came to us, judging by the name, from Polynesia. It is known to Russian hunters and prospectors as the hole. It has several advantages. First of all, you don’t ask yourself where you can make a fire, for “Polynesia” a recess is dug out, so that the fire hazard is reduced to almost zero, especially since the pit walls are laid out with stone or soaked logs. In principle, the Polynesian bonfire is rather espionage or reconnaissance: if it is placed under a stone peak or under a dense tree, then the hearth will not be visible from any direction. A prerequisite for a Polynesian spy fire is smokeless firewood.
A few small ones are better than one big one
It would be nice to remember that small bonfires are easier to maintain than large ones, and they consume less fuel. And at the same time, a few "kids" located in a circle will warm you better than a huge pioneer bonfire.
The right place
The main condition when choosing a clearing where you can make a fire is fire safety. If it is surrounded by dead wood, or the whole clearing is in dry grass, look for another. A fire in the forest is an apocalyptic thing, and you yourself will not be saved, and the forest will be destroyed for many kilometers around.
Wet, rain or wind
If you have to think about how to build a fire on wet soil, remember the need for a layer between wet soil and fire. It will also help when the fire needs to be laid out in the snow. As a "pad", dry logs would be ideal. But there is often nowhere to take them. Then your choice is stones. Evenwet, they dry out much faster than wood and will become a reliable protection against unnecessary water. If the weather is combined with the wind, it is worth remembering the reflectors. They will prevent the fire from blowing out and spreading the fire in undesirable directions. Reflectors can even be plastic sheets, which are taken instead of raincoats, only they need to be placed away from the fire. In addition, a well-placed reflector will help direct the heat in the right direction.
Fuel matters
Knowing how to properly make a fire in the forest, you will not go wrong with the choice of kindling and “feeding” for the fire. Dead wood is ideal, it is also good to use dry branches on a still living tree. It is not always worth taking even seductive firewood from the ground: if it rained the last days, the logs at least got wet, and if the rains were long, then they rotted. The best firewood is pine, spruce, alder and birch. But remember: the birch shoots! Rowan, larch and aspen give little heat. Fresh needles smoke, and dry sparks, which is dangerous for the eyes, clothes, and a fire can happen. But there is a good way to make a fire in a rain-soaked forest. A recently fallen tree may well have retained dry wood inside its trunk. Knowing this, it is not difficult to build a fire.
Firing is important too
Dry wood chips, spruce and pine boughs, lichen (only dry!), dried strands of raincoat fungus, fern, again dry rot - this is what should attract your attention. Exfoliated birch bark (attention: the tree must bealive!) is very resinous, flares up instantly, but shoots, when kindling a fire it is better to move away a little. Dry stumps can also come in handy, even if the stump is wet on top, it’s worth picking it up, and kindling is available. It folds into a hut and perfectly kindles thin branches, from which thick ones light up.
When the fire is already burning
Suppose everything worked out, and the fire itself maintains the correct flame. The main task now is to support the fire so that it does not go out. How to make a fire is one task, but how to keep it is completely different. Saving a fire requires much less effort than building one, so it's worth paying a little attention to the fire. The wind is one of the main enemies. If it is very strong, you will have to block the fire from blowing out. At night, in principle, the fire should be extinguished, but if it is winter, it is cold, and you have located the fire pit not under the branches accessible to fire, then you can leave it to warm the overnight stay, just take precautions. The main ones: the flame should not be violent and high, the burning place should be protected with stones or something non-combustible. If the weather conditions do not annoy, the coals need to be covered with ash, they will not go out completely, and in the morning it will be possible to revive the fire.
There are matches, or there are no matches
Of course, if you always have matches with you, then in an uncivilized campaign you have a chance not to lose face in the dirt. But many people today do not smoke, and, accordingly, do not have matches. And those who smoke do not think about maintaining theirfire source. And the memo "How to build a fire" does not always contain a reminder: "Keep matches dry!" But this is the most important thing: if the matches are wet, you are unlikely to light the driest firewood.
And if not?
Of course, the option when you are surrounded by wildlife without matches is unlikely. Let it resemble an exciting adventure novel, but it happens. I went looking for mushrooms - I got lost … I strayed from the group - you are waiting for the morning … Tinder will be needed for any alternative methods of making fire. Tinder is made from any dry flammable material: bark, wood, filling and components of bird nests, etc. If there is a suspicion that you are stuck in the conditions described until evening, the tinder must be protected, that is, hidden, for example, in a plastic bag and make sure no moisture gets in.
Ways
Extreme situation: no matches, help will not come soon (if it comes). How to build a fire without matches becomes an urgent problem. If you have at least a camera or a flashlight, you are already lucky: their lens focuses on tinder, and you already have a fire. Especially if the sun hasn't set yet. If the village - we wait until tomorrow. But if there is a steel wire and a block of wood, you can not wait for the sun. Move the wire back and forth across the bar (quickly!), and if you're lucky, you'll light something flammable.
It will be more fun and easier with ammo. If only there was no wind. From a couple of cartridgesgunpowder is poured near the base of the folded hut. Then we take 2 relatively even stones. We pour gunpowder on one of them, and three stones above it. From a spark, gunpowder will ignite, and kindling from it.
We already know how to make a fire in the forest. It remains to be puzzled by the question: "How not to be afraid?"
Don't get lost is the main thing. And even if it seems that badgers will eat you - fight! In principle, badgers are not such scary animals…
