Firecraft The Art of Making Fire

9 Reasons to have a fire. 1. To provide a source of light. 2. To keep warm. 3. To make a signal. 4. To cook food. 5. To preserve food. 6. To purify water. 7. To dry clothes. 8. To raise morale. 9. To scare predatory animals.

The Fire Triangle Heat is your spark, your match, your lighter, your flame thrower. Fuel is what you're a burning. A fire needs oxygen.

3 Types of Fuel Tinder - fine, dry flammable materials that will easily ignite with a spark or match Kindling - dead, dry branches, etc. smaller than your little finger Fuel - the big stuff larger than your little finger

Magnesium Fire Starter It's a hunk of magnesium with a rod of synthetic flint embedded in its side Shave the magnesium off into a pile, then using the flint, put a spark into the pile of shavings

Cotton balls with Vaseline Best tinder Must “fluff” the cotton ball before covering in vaseline Create beforehand and store in a plastic container

Steel Wool and a 9 Volt Battery Place the steel wool between terminals with a cotton ball close to the sparks Store each item in separate bags

Fire building Prepare all tinder, kindling, and fuel prior to your first spark Use a piece of bark as a platform for tinder 4” log next to platform as a brace and wind break Place tinder on platform and ingite

Fire building cont. Place small diameter kindling across brace over tinder When flame begins to burn through that layer place another layer on at 90 degrees Continue to add layers of larger and larger fuel until fire is self- sustained