Lighting a Fire

Before we talk about lighting fires, we should cover some of the key fire lighting safety points. At Disce Pati we live by the 'Leave No Trace' mindset when WildCamping, so while we know fires are a big part of camping in the outdoors, we always suggest that people do it both legally and safely.

To do this the advice is simple:

Make sure you have permission. This is usually granted on private land, so it doesn't hurt to ask when seeking permission to camp. We've found that an offer to help lend a hand with some small laboring from time to time, helps create a good relationship with land owners and allows you more freedom. Once you've established some trust by clearing up after yourselves we've found that you can normally be left to your own devices, even as others are turned away. Also a great way to gain permission to shoot if you're able to get rid of pests.

Make sure you have a safe site. The reason why permission is so important is that there may be things you're unaware of on the site e.g. peat floor or risk of underground root fires. You should find a clear space, making sure there are no surrounding dry areas that could catch fire and build a solid base/surrounding, preferably with rocks, or logs if those aren't available (both to shield your fire from the wind and contain it properly). Of course you should have the fire away from your hammock, tarp or other items that could catch fire; and keep a clear walkway surrounding the area.

Make sure you extinguish fully. You should always keep water nearby just in case the fire gets out of control, but make sure to extinguish with water after you've finished cooking/warming and before you go to sleep. This way you reduce the risk of something going wrong and you have the chance to double-check in the morning and return the site to how you found it before leaving - a lot easier when things have cooled down and dried out. Kicking dirt over the fire still risks smoldering underneath, which could re-ignite once you leave. If you've used stones then look to return them to where you found them, even if that's scattering them back around the area.

Now the main safety steps are covered (but please don't treat that as your complete list) the question before you choose how to light your fire, is what you're going to burn.

It's great to familiarise yourself with different trees and what wood to burn, so we'd advise getting a tree identification app to get you started, or research the area you're looking to camp in first, so you can see the common ones. Typically Apple, Birch, Cedar, Cherry, Hazel, Hornbeam, Maple, Pear, Plum and Sycamore burn really well i.e. long and hot; and Alder, Douglas Fir, Elder, Horse Chestnut, Larch, Lime, Poplar, Spruce and Sweet Chestnut either struggle to light, produce less heat or burn out quicker. In a pinch, you can get away with most wood, as long as it's dead, dry and preferably seasoned i.e. despite the obvious reasons to avoid cutting down a living tree, it won't make for great firewood until it's seasoned.

Preparing your fuel takes time, so our best tip is to start that early when you reach camp and the time you spend in preparation will more than pay off in getting your fire started and keeping it going. Our best tip is to size and order your fuel/wood in the following sizes:

1. Matchsticks. At least two handfuls of matchstick size twigs to start your flame from tinder.

2. Pencils. At least a handful, used as kindling to burn quickly and establish your fire base.

3. Thumbs. Sticks the width of your thumb, used to build your fire and create embers.

4. Fists. Logs to sit over your embers to build the size and heat of your fire. Growing in size as you build to your required level.

The purpose here should really be to build the fire only as big as what you intend to use it for e.g. cook and heat. Flames should be kept relatively low, as this'll attract less attention and reduce risk of the fire spreading. If flames are getting above waist height then you're likely getting carried away.

For tinder, cotton, char cloth (usually linen/cotton mix) and firelighters are a useful addition to your pack, as they weight very little and help you get a fire started quickly, but if you have it available Tinder-cord/Fire-cord (within paracord) can be a great way to always be prepared (we can't tell you how many times we've forgotten to re-pack more cotton in our packs).

If you really want to test yourselves then we'd recommend foraging for your own tinder. You'll be surprised how much is on offer in the wild and our favorites are Silver Birch Bark (our very favorite, just peel a few pieces from those beautiful white trees), Coal Fungus (found on the dead branches of Ash trees, just cut open, check it's dry and spark to the middle) and Reed Mace (you can't miss the white fluffy stuff if you spot it and it goes up as quick as cotton!). If you struggle to find these then there's always your intuition to rely on, by looking for dead or dry underbrush, which helps light any fire quickly.

Now you're all set, the spark and start is the easy part and often the most rewarding, as you get to create your own fire. So let's cut to the chase. The most practical way to prepare for lighting fires in an emergency is to use a lighter. They're cheap, easy to carry and can be the easiest way to get a fire going, so get one of these in your Every Day Carry (EDC) and Bug Out Bag (BOB) and we like to stuff a few in every pocket, nook and cranny, as they always come in handy. For anyone wilding, it's definitely not the most fun or rewarding way to light a fire though, so we'll talk through some of the options you have...and we'd recommend trying all of them!

Bow Drill

If you've ever seen an episode of Bear Grylls' The Island, then you'll be familiar with this painstaking way to light a fire. We'd recommend everyone tries this at least once, but in reality it's difficult to put together the parts, can be stressful getting it right and can take an age to get the thing lit. This approach definitely gives you great satisfaction when you finally get it lit, but unless you're very used to the method it isn't practical for weekend WildCampers.

Parabolic Mirror

This nifty little 'gadget' packs relatively light and requires little effort to get started. The only downside, you need the sun. We'd recommend this as a safer way to introduce children to fire-lighting on a summer day, but in the situations where fire becomes more important e.g. in cold, dark and wet conditions, then it's usefulness is relatively limited.

Fire Steel

The perfect balance. We find fire steel to not only be one of the most dependable ways to light a fire, but you also benefit from being able to use the same steel piece hundreds of times, are able to have some fun getting the sparks to hit your tinder and as you need a little bit of skill to make it work, unlike using a lighter, it makes you feel like you earned it.

You can find fire steels relatively cheap, with a ferrocerium/magnesium flint/steel and striker and they're a great EDC item, usually with a tie or keyring attachment so you can latch to your bag or keys.

There usually isn't a huge difference in quality, so we'd recommend choosing one you like the look of and try to get one with an outer casing if you can.

There's lots more detail we could provide on different types of fires to build, how to build them and lots more details on the things we've shared today, but hopefully this is enough to get you started.

Let us know if we've missed any of your favorites and please remember to stay safe, seek permission and always extinguish your fires. Leave No Trace.