jungle never let their fires die. And for good reason: try making a fire after
it has rained for six straight hours (and that’s during the dry season!).
For me, fire is like a child that needs to be protected, respected, cared
for, and ultimately, loved and appreciated. I can’t count all the nights I have
huddled in the dead of winter over a little fire in a claustrophobic shelter
surrounded by snow, warming just enough of my face and hands to keep
the chill away.
Many matters of wilderness survival are controversial, however, and
fire is no exception. For example, two different survival experts I had the
privilege of studying with in Africa held opposing views on the use of fire
in lion territories. One felt that fire attracted lions; the other felt it served
as a repellent.
Here is the perspective of my friend and survival crony Douw Kruger:
During a survival course for air force pilots, I was leading three groups
of eight people in the bush. They were instructed to build proper
shelters to protect against lions and hyenas. During my inspection I
found that the last group had put only small branches without thorns
around their shelter. It was almost dark and too late to gather proper
branches.
That night a group of young lions was walking on the road about
100 yards (90 m) away and must have seen the fire. They approached
and found seven humans sleeping on the ground and one (the night
watch) sleeping against a tree, all within a shelter designed at best to
keep out housecats.
When the first lion pushed his head through the branches, the
watch awoke and the excitement began! The pilots kept the lions at bay
by hitting with sticks or throwing rocks. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
Needless to say, the next night their shelter was so well constructed
that not even an elephant could penetrate it!
Fire is a part of nature, so animals are used to it. Big wildfires
might scare them, but a small, stationary fire will not. In fact, it may
make them curious and draw them to investigate. The reason fire makes
you feel safe is that you can see what is going on around you and you
have some burning wood to use as a weapon if necessary. But the
downside of a fire is that it makes you visible from a long distance.(^98) | Survive!