The Art of Fire Building!

Fire and Human History

“The most important force in human history.”

Earliest Evidence of Controlled Use:– Lower Paleolithic (790,000 Y.A.) – Israel– China/Israel (400,000 Y.A.)

Greek– One of the 4 basic elements

(Earth, Air, Water)– Prometheus

Native American saying – FIRE HAS THREE POWERS:

1. Warmth2. Companionship3. Power to ward off bad spirits:

- Animals, Purify Water, etc.- Black char coal curies diarrhea - White ashes help control constipation

But What Exactly is Fire? • Defined: A rapid, persistent chemical change that

releases heat and light and is accompanied by flame, especially the exothermic oxidation of a combustible substance.

• Combustion Reaction –

Fun Fire Fact!

• On Earth, gravity determines how the flame burns. All the hot gases in the flame are much hotter (and less dense) than the surrounding air, so they move upward toward lower pressure. This is why fire typically spreads upward, and it's also why flames are always "pointed" at the top. If you were to light a fire in a microgravity environment, say onboard the space shuttle, it would form a sphere!

Fire Tetrahedron

REQUIREMENTS FOR A CAMP FIRE:

1. Oxygen2. Fire source (The spark)3. Tinder (Catches the spark)4. Kindling5. Fuel

FIRE SOURCES: HOW TO GET A SPARK

1. Matches (dip in wax) (three different sources / dry)2. Butane lighter3. Magnesium Fire Starter (AKA Metal Match)4. Lenses - Camera, Glasses, Magnifying glass5. Battery from a car, boat, airplane6. Steel wool and a flashlight battery7. Flint and steel8. Bow and drill9. Fire Plow

TINDER: SOMETHING TO CATCH THE SPARK

- Birch Bark- the best but not from live trees. - Shredded inner bark - Dry Grass- Seed Down - Dried Pine needles- Dried Moss - Steel Wool- Charred Cloth - Cotton- Wax Paper - Birds nest- Fuzz Stick - Dryer lint

KINDLING: NO BIGGER THAN YOUR

FINGER

- Small twigs- Small wood splints- Heavy cardboard

FUEL: LARGE BRANCHES: THE SIZE OF YOUR FINGER TO THE SIZE OF YOUR ARM.

- Large branches- Grass twisted together- Peat (can be found on the undercuts of river

banks).- Hardwood: = Oak, Maple, and Basswood.

Long lasting, good coals- Softwood: = Pine, Poplar. Burns quick

RULES!

• Always collect the tinder, kindling and fuel BEFORE you start the spark!!!

• Always start a fire small and build up.

WHERE TO BUILD A FIRE:

- Opening, away from overhangs, ice, snow - Away from other flammables. - On bare soil, free of grass and roots (Fire can follow roots up the tree).- Away from wet rocks. (They can explode).- Not on mineral soil, rocks, (FIRE SCAR) (Pick out trash when finished)

Types of fires:

1. Teepee: Produces high flames. Good for one pot cooking & reflector oven.

2. Log Cabin: Produces good bed

of coal for cooking. Teepee in middle with log cabin around it. Gradually lay logs toward center.

3. Crisscross: Produces large, deep bed of coals for cooking. Like a log cabin, but logs are crisscrossed throughout.