In the end, I did opt for a fire in the middle of lion territory, primarily
because too many years of using fire for comfort won out. For me, it seemed
to be the right choice. I needed the psychological boost, and I wanted to cook
the freshwater crab I had caught. However, I stayed up all night listening to
growls in the distance. I would learn later that lions had made a kill about 500
yards (457 m) from my shelter that night. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss!
Fire is very, very important. I will put up with many deprivations in a
survival situation, but please don’t ask me to go without fire.
Select Your Site Carefully
INMYFAVORITEMOVIE OFALLTIME, Jeremiah Johnson, the title character
(played by Robert Redford) struggles to start a fire with a piece of flint,
some charred cloth, and a steel striker. Huddled down in the snow with the
wind whipping furiously, he finally gets his spark to take and then blows
the ember into a small flame, only to have a big clump of snow fall from
the branches above and put it out!
That’s why the first step in the firemaking journey is to choose an
appropriate location. We can all anticipate the risks associated with hav
ing a fire inside our shelter (although, you can do it, provided you’re smart
about it), but other risks are often ignored.
Your fire should be sheltered from the wind, rain, or snow. Make sure
you have lots of firewood or flammable material close at hand (but not so
close that it could lead to a forest fire or could fall on you and cause injury).
Large boulders work well as protection against the elements: they not only
act as a windbreak but also absorb the fire’s heat and reflect it back at you.
Make sure you don’t pick a low spot that will fill with water if it starts
raining. Choose a place that seems dry relative to the surrounding area,
since a fire draws moisture from the ground beneath it as it burns. If the
ground is really wet, your fire won’t even get going.
Always consider safety when it comes to fire, which can spread in
ways you might not expect. A root can burn underground for many yards,
allowing a fire to pop up elsewhere, developing into a fullblown forest
fire, sometimes even a year later. Overhanging dry leaves can catch easily
and start a forest fire.
Fire (^) | 99