You're in Dire need of a Fire
How to Build an Emergency Fire
Gathering
Note: Required tools; hatchet, survival knife,and a flint and steel
- Find a spot where the wind is blocked, such as a large rock, or tree.
- Look for dry tinder, gather plenty of small, easily lightable twigs, dead leaves, or dry grass.
- Dead standing tress can provide tinder. Scrape down the tree with your knife, while collecting long, thin scraps of wood.
- Collect the small things. Small branches still on the tree (finger thick). They must be dry.
- If dead pine cones can be found, they are a good item for quick heat.
- For the last gathering of wood, you will want large, thick pieces. This is where the hatchet will come in. If you need to chop the wood or get it, from the tree the hatchet can be used.
Lighting the Fire
- Sort your fuel supplies into sections, such as, small things here, medium things here, and large things here. Keep all wood in a dry place in case of rain.
- Keep extra tinder around, in case the fire needs to be restarted.
- Make a platform out of larger pieces of wood, so you can rest the fuel on top.
- Pile up a lot of tinder, and place the small finger thick twigs on top. Keep the pile 'puffed up' so air can circulate through.
- Use your flint and steel to spark the tinder, can create a flame. If you cannot get the tinder to ignite, take a piece of tinder out and light that. Then place that back in with all the other tinder, this will light it.
- If necessary blow on the fire to circulate the fire.
- Slowly place larger pieces on top of the fire, so the fire will grow.
- If you have done it correctly the flame should be large in about one to two minutes.