Fire is a basic essential for life. Whether this be for warmth, cooking, light or creation we need fire. Before matches, lighters and firesteels there were many methods mastered by our ancestors to create fire. Some of these methods will be outlined in this section of the site, we shall also cover more modern means of firelighting and how to construct effective camp fires.
Before you light a fire you should always clear away any humus to get to bare earth with a diameter of atleast 1 metre. Ensure that any roots beneath the surface are severed using a shovel or sharp digging stick, otherwise they could smoulder below ground then emerge months later and cause a forest fire.
When you have finished with you fire it is important to clear it away properly and to leave the site as you found it. Separate to the edge of the hearth any embers which are still burning. Using a shovel or stick probe down into the ground in a circle around the hearth so you create a sort of moat. Then fill this with water. Douse your embers and then scatter them by hand over a large area. By doing this you drastically reduce the chance of a forest fire to virtually 0%. Make sure your fire area is clear and then finally replace the humus layer and leaf litter so it looks as you found it.
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Fire Pages: Basic FireHere we go through some of the basic methods of firelighting such as firesteel and match lighting. Fire Lays
Some of the most popular campfire lays are described and explained here. Old Fire DogsAn old way of relighting burnt embers is with the old fire dog method. Bowdrill Fire
Andy goes through the traditional friction fire technique of the Bow and Drill. A Bow Drill Inquiry
An inquiry into a myriad of Bow Drill woods with listings on frictrion fire woods and their effectiveness, compiled by Storm. Tinder
A list of useful and effective tinders in firelighting aswell as information on tinder preperation.
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