Cheat sheet: Fire

1. 1Tinder – Very fine, dry material that catches from a spark or small flame: dry grass, birch bark, fine wood shavings, cotton, paper.
2. 2Kindling – Thin dry twigs and splits from about matchstick to thumb thickness.
3. 3Fuel wood – Thicker dry wood, added only once the kindling is burning strongly.
4. 4Let air in – Stack fuel loosely so air can flow in from below.

Danger: Never pour petrol (gasoline), spirit, lighter fluid or other flammable liquids onto a fire or embers. The vapours can ignite explosively and cause severe burns.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-triangle-fuels

1. 1Gather tinder – Collect a good handful of the finest dry fibres: dry grass, peeled birch bark, fine dead conifer twigs, fine wood shavings.
2. 2Sort kindling by thickness – Collect dead, dry twigs that snap rather than bend.
3. 3Lay out fuel wood – Lay out enough dead wood of wrist to forearm thickness before lighting.
4. 4Split and carve shavings if needed – Split thicker branches that are wet outside: the inside is often dry.
5. 5Keep it dry – Keep tinder in a jacket pocket or bag, kindling under a tarp or on a base, not directly on wet ground.

Caution: When carving and splitting, always work away from your body, sit securely and keep a distance from others. A cut hand makes everything harder in the field.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-tinder-kindling

1. 1Cut the fabric – Cut pure cotton (e.g. an old T-shirt or denim without synthetic content) into small squares and lay them loosely in the tin.
2. 2Small hole – Pierce a small hole in the lid.
3. 3Place in the embers – Place the tin in the embers or at the edge of a strong fire.
4. 4Wait for the end – When no more smoke comes out, remove the tin with a stick.
5. 5Cool and check – Let it cool completely before opening – otherwise the cloth ignites in the air.
6. 6Store dry – Keep it in the closed tin or a waterproof bag.

Danger: Make it outdoors only. Smoke and flammable gas escape from the hole in the tin and can ignite. Synthetic fibres, coatings and paints release toxic fumes.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-char-cloth

1. 1Expose dry wood – Split a dead branch that is wet on the outside.
2. 2Brace – Stand the stick upright on a firm base, angled slightly away from your body.
3. 3Carve curls – With a straight blade, cut long, thin shavings from top to bottom and stop just before the end so they stay attached.
4. 4Finest scrapings – For ignition with a ferro rod, also scrape the finest wood dust with the back of the blade and place it under the curls.
5. 5Use – Place several feather sticks with the curls downwards in the fire lay and light from below.

Caution: When carving and notching, always work away from your body and sit securely. Fatigue increases the risk of injury.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-feather-sticks

1. 1Find – Check old, dead conifer stumps, root bases and branch junctions on dead wood.
2. 2Remove – Split off small pieces with a knife or hatchet.
3. 3Scrape shavings – Scrape fine shavings or dust; they catch sparks from a ferro rod.
4. 4Use – Use shavings as tinder and thin sticks as kindling.

Caution: When carving and notching, always work away from your body and sit securely. Fatigue increases the risk of injury.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-fatwood

1. 1Tinder bundle – Place the tinder bundle in the centre of the fire site.
2. 2Lean thin wood – Stand matchstick-thin sticks in a cone around the nest; leave an opening on the windward side for lighting.
3. 3Thicker sticks – Lean a second layer of pencil- to thumb-thick sticks on the outside, loose enough for air.
4. 4Light – Light the nest from below through the opening and lean on more wood once the flames climb.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires and ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-lay-teepee

1. 1Build the core – Place a tinder bundle and a small teepee of thin kindling in the centre.
2. 2Stack layers – Two parallel sticks left and right, two crosswise on top – several layers like this, slightly thinner towards the top.
3. 3Optional top – For a longer-burning fire, lay thin sticks loosely across the top as a lid.
4. 4Light – Light the core through a gap on the windward side.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires and ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-lay-log-cabin

1. 1Windbreak – Lay a thick log across the wind or push a stick into the ground at an angle, with its tip pointing into the wind.
2. 2Place the tinder – Place the tinder bundle in the lee, right against the log or under the stick.
3. 3Lean the kindling – Lean thin kindling at an angle over the nest against the log or stick, thicker pieces on top.
4. 4Light – Light from the open side and add wood gradually.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires and ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-lay-lean-to

1. 1Bottom layer – Lay the thickest logs close together as a base.
2. 2Cross layers – Lay each further layer crosswise and slightly thinner until you reach kindling thickness.
3. 3Tinder on top – Set a small teepee of tinder and the finest kindling on the top layer.
4. 4Light on top – Light the tinder on top and let the fire do its work.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires and ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-lay-top-down

1. 1Knead in – Knead a cotton ball with a dab of petroleum jelly between your fingers until it is evenly saturated but not dripping.
2. 2Pack – Press several balls into a small, tight tin or bag.
3. 3Fluff before use – Pull a ball apart in the fire site so that dry fibres from the inside become visible.
4. 4Light – Direct ferro rod sparks straight into the fluffed fibres or light with a match or lighter.

Danger: Petroleum jelly is a solid tinder, not an accelerant. Never use petrol, spirit or other liquids on cotton or in the fire instead.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-jelly-cotton-tinder

1. 1Choose ignition sources – Choose at least two different sources, e.g. a lighter and a ferro rod, plus storm matches with a striker.
2. 2Add tinder – Add prepared tinder such as petroleum jelly cotton or fire-lighter cubes; optionally a piece of fatwood.
3. 3Pack waterproof – Put matches and tinder in a tight tin or sealable bag.
4. 4Distribute – Carry one ignition source on your body (e.g. in a trouser pocket, which also keeps a lighter warm) and one in the pack.
5. 5Check regularly – Check lighter fuel, dry matches and the condition of the tinder before every trip and at least every six months.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires and ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-kit-packing

1. 1Collect along the way – Collect tinder while walking, not only at the campsite, and always about twice as much as you think.
2. 2Birch bark from dead wood – Take the paper-thin, white outer bark only from fallen branches or dead, fallen birches – never from living trees.
3. 3Dry grass, needles, bark fibre – Take dead, dry grass from inside grass tussocks, dead bracken and dry pine needles for the bundle.
4. 4Down from seed heads – Ripe cattail or thistle down catches a spark at once but burns away in an instant.
5. 5Shavings and resin dust – Split dead wood and carve fine shavings from the dry inside.
6. 6Dry? Test it! – Dry material rustles and crackles; stalks and twigs snap with a crack.
7. 7Form the tinder bundle – Form a loose bundle about the size of one or two fists from grass, bark fibre and needles: coarser outside, the finest fluff inside.
8. 8Keep it dry on your body – Carry tinder in a bag in an inside pocket of your jacket.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires, embers and ‘small’ fires. Keep water ready to put it out.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-natural-tinder

1. 1Lay everything out – Place tinder loosely under a small teepee or stack of the finest kindling, with further sizes within reach.
2. 2Block the wind – Kneel with your back to the wind so your body, pack or hands form a windbreak.
3. 3Strike and shield – Strike the match away from your body, immediately cup it in your hand and tilt it slightly downwards until the wood is burning.
4. 4Light the tinder from below – Hold the flame to the windward underside of the tinder so it draws into the stack.
5. 5Pack the rest away dry – Put the remaining matches and striker straight back into a waterproof case or bag.

Danger: Never pour petrol (gasoline), spirit, lighter fluid or other flammable liquids onto a fire or embers. The vapours can ignite explosively and cause severe burns.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-matches

1. 1Keep the lighter warm – In the cold, carry the lighter in an inside pocket close to your body and take it out only to light.
2. 2Dry it if wet – If the wheel is wet, shake the lighter, blow the wheel and flint dry and roll it several times on your trouser leg or palm until it sparks.
3. 3Form a windbreak – Kneel with your back to the wind and shield the flame with your body and hand.
4. 4Light the tinder from below – Hold the lighter at an angle so the flame reaches the underside of the tinder without burning your thumb.

Danger: Do not leave lighters near the fire, in direct sun or in a hot car – they can burst. Do not keep the flame burning for long periods; metal parts get hot.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-lighter

1. 1Build a tinder bed – Place a fist-sized, loosely fluffed bundle of tinder on a dry base (bark, piece of wood).
2. 2Prepare a new rod – Many new rods have a protective coating; scrape it off once in one spot until sparks appear.
3. 3Position the rod – Place the tip of the rod directly in or just above the tinder.
4. 4Pull the rod back – Hold the striker still and pull the rod firmly back.
5. 5Build up the flame – As soon as the tinder catches, add the finest kindling and gradually thicker pieces.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. In many regions open fires in or near forests, in protected areas or during dry spells are prohibited – fire bans always apply, including to ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-ferro-rod

1. 1Prepare the tinder bundle – Form a loose, fist-sized nest of dry, fine fibres and lay out kindling.
2. 2Hold stone and char cloth – Hold the stone with a sharp edge facing upwards.
3. 3Strike – Strike the steel downwards along the edge in a quick, glancing motion so that sparks fall onto the char cloth.
4. 4Spot the ember – A spark that catches forms a small, spreading glowing spot.
5. 5Place in the nest and blow – Put the glowing char cloth into the nest, close it loosely and blow with steady breaths until it flames.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires and ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-flint-steel

1. 1Choose the wood – Dead, bone-dry, not rotten wood of a medium-soft kind for the spindle and board.
2. 2Make the parts – Spindle: straight, about thumb-thick, blunt at the bottom, more pointed at the top.
3. 3Burn in the socket – Carve a small depression near the edge of the board, load the spindle and drill until the socket is black and worn in.
4. 4Cut the notch – Cut a wedge-shaped notch from the edge of the board to just into the centre of the socket.
5. 5Drill – Put one foot on the board, brace the wrist holding the bearing block against your shin and drill with long, even bow strokes.
6. 6Check and transfer the ember – If the dust in the notch keeps smoking after the spindle stops, it is an ember.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires and ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-bow-drill

1. 1Prepare materials – Choose a long, straight, dry shaft and a soft board.
2. 2Position – Kneeling, hold the board down with your foot.
3. 3Spin – Rub the shaft back and forth between flat, outstretched palms while pressing down.
4. 4Final push and ember – With smoke and dark dust, make a few fast, forceful passes.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires and ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-hand-drill

1. 1Make the groove – Lay the base piece firmly on the ground and rub or lightly carve a groove with the stick tip.
2. 2Plough – Hold the stick with both hands at a shallow angle and push it firmly and evenly back and forth in the groove, slowly at first, then faster…
3. 3Transfer the ember – When the dust at the end of the groove glows, transfer it on its base into the tinder bundle and blow it to flame.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires and ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-plough

1. 1Split the bamboo – Split a dry bamboo section lengthwise.
2. 2Cut the slot – Cut a notch across the outside of the base piece until a narrow slot opens through the wall.
3. 3Add shavings – Scrape fine shavings from the outer skin of bamboo and place them as a small pad inside, under the slot.
4. 4Saw – Fix the base piece and draw the saw piece across the notch with strong, even strokes until there is plenty of smoke.
5. 5Transfer the ember – Carefully remove the glowing pad, place it in a tinder bundle and blow it to flame.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires and ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-saw-bamboo

1. 1Choose dark tinder – Use char cloth, charred material or very fine, dark, dry plant material.
2. 2Wind shelter – Block the wind with your body without casting a shadow on the lens.
3. 3Focus – Hold the lens perpendicular to the sun and adjust the distance until the light spot is as small and bright as possible.
4. 4Hold steady – Brace your hands and keep the spot still on one point until smoke rises and an ember forms.
5. 5Blow to flame – Place the ember in the tinder bundle and blow.

Danger: Never look at the sun through a lens or reflector and do not stare at the focal point – this can permanently damage the eyes. Check the bright spot only briefly and from the corner of your eye.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-burning-lens

1. 1Prepare the tinder bundle – Lay out the tinder bundle and kindling.
2. 2Fluff the steel wool – Pull apart a piece of finest steel wool to make a loose pad.
3. 3Touch the terminals – Brush the battery with both terminals across the wool.
4. 4Into the nest – Place the glowing wool into the tinder bundle at once and blow.

Danger: Pack steel wool and batteries separately; cover battery terminals (protective cap or tape). If steel wool accidentally touches both terminals inside a pack, it can ignite.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-battery-steel-wool

1. 1Prepare nest and wood – Form the tinder bundle and lay out kindling.
2. 2Load the char cloth – Press a small piece of char cloth into the recess in the piston tip.
3. 3Check the seal – Insert the piston a little way and let go: if it springs back, the seal is good.
4. 4Push hard and fast – Brace the cylinder and drive the piston all the way in with a single, fast, forceful push.
5. 5Withdraw immediately – Pull the piston out quickly straight away so the ember gets oxygen.
6. 6Transfer to the nest – Pick the ember out of the tip with a wood sliver, place it in the tinder bundle and blow it to flame.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires and ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-piston

1. 1Lots of smoke but no ember – Often you stop too early or the notch is too small.
2. 2Squeaking and shiny surfaces – Shiny, smooth friction surfaces on spindle and socket slip instead of grinding.
3. 3Read the dust – Light, coarse dust points to too little speed or damp wood.
4. 4Spindle pops out – Carve the spindle straighter and rounder, deepen the sockets slightly and brace the bearing-block hand firmly against your shin.
5. 5Cord slips or breaks – Adjust the cord tension: the spindle must sit tightly without loading it becoming a struggle.
6. 6Top end gets hot – If the spindle grinds more at the top than at the bottom, smooth or lubricate the bearing-block socket (e.g. with a little grease) and…

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires and ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-bow-drill-troubleshooting

1. 1Gather the parts – Spindle: straight, dry, about 60–80 cm long and one to two fingers thick.
2. 2Fit the flywheel – Bore the disc exactly in the centre and wedge it tightly on the lower third of the spindle, if necessary with small wooden wedges or a cord…
3. 3Crossbar and cord – Bore a hole in the middle of the crossbar, slightly wider than the spindle, so it slides up and down easily.
4. 4Prepare the hearth board – Carve a small socket near the edge and drill it briefly until it is black.
5. 5Wind up and pump – Stand the spindle in the socket and hold the board with your foot or knee.
6. 6Build up heat – As soon as smoke rises, push harder and a little faster.
7. 7Ember into the tinder bundle – If the little pile keeps smoking although the spindle has stopped, it is an ember.
8. 8Find the fault – Spindle wobbles: disc not centred or spindle crooked.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires, embers and ‘small’ fires. Keep water ready to put it out.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-pump-drill

1. 1Check the sun, lay out tinder – Only try in cloudless, strong sun, best around midday – your shadow is then short and sharp.
2. 2Get clear ice – Find a transparent piece of ice, as free of bubbles as possible, about the size of a hand and a few centimetres thick – from the bank…
3. 3Shape the lens – Scrape carefully with the knife until both sides bulge outwards: thick in the middle, thin towards the edge.
4. 4Polish with hand warmth – Rub the lens with bare, warm hands until the surface is smooth and clear as glass.
5. 5Or: fill a bottle or bag – Fill a clear, smooth, as round as possible bottle to the brim with clear water so that no air bubble remains, and close it. Fill a clear…
6. 6Find the focal point – Hold the lens between the sun and the tinder and slowly change the distance until the light spot is as small and bright as possible.
7. 7Hold steady – Rest your hands on your knee or a stone and keep the spot still on one point.
8. 8Blow to flame and tidy up – Put the ember into the tinder bundle, close it loosely and blow gently until flames appear.

Danger: Never look at the sun through the lens, the ice or the bottle, and do not stare at the bright focal spot – this can permanently damage the eyes. Check the spot only briefly and from the side, with sunglasses if you have them.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-ice-water-lens

1. 1Know the woods – Often named and proven are lime (basswood), willow, poplar and aspen, as well as hazel, which is especially good as a spindle.
2. 2Choose standing dead wood – Dead branches still hanging on the tree or dead, standing saplings are usually dry.
3. 3Fingernail test for hardness – Press your thumbnail firmly into the barked wood.
4. 4Check the inside – Split a piece or carve off a fresh shaving.
5. 5Avoid resin and knots – If the wood smells strongly of resin or is sticky, it is unsuitable for spindle and board – but valuable as fatwood.
6. 6Combine and test drill – Spindle and board of the same wood, or the spindle slightly harder than the board.
7. 7Permission and the dead-wood rule – You may enter a forest for recreation, but wood belongs to the forest owner.
8. 8Store the finished set dry – Store a proven set of spindle and board dry and airy, and carry it on trips in a bag close to your body.

Caution: Wood and bark in the forest belong to the forest owner. Collect even dead wood only with permission, not at all in protected areas – and never take branches or bark from living trees.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-friction-wood

1. 1Use carried tinder – Use waterproof-packed tinder (cotton wool with petroleum jelly, fire-lighter cubes) as the core.
2. 2Find dry wood – Dead, thin branches on standing trees – especially the lower dead twigs under dense conifers – are usually drier than wood from the ground.
3. 3Split and make feather sticks – Split dead branches of thumb to wrist thickness and carve fine shavings or feather sticks from the dry core.
4. 4Build a base – On wet ground or snow, lay a platform of a single layer of thick dead branches so the fire is not quenched from below and does not sink…
5. 5Shield from rain and wind – While lighting, block rain and wind with your body and pack.
6. 6Pre-dry wood at the fire – Let the next pieces of wood dry at the edge of the fire – with a gap so they do not catch uncontrolled – and add them only once the fire is…

Danger: Never pour petrol (gasoline), spirit, lighter fluid or other flammable liquids onto a fire or embers. The vapours can ignite explosively and cause severe burns.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-wet-conditions

1. 1Choose the site – An open spot with no snow-laden branches above, sheltered from wind, away from the shelter.
2. 2Check the snow – If the snow is shallow, clear down to the ground.
3. 3Lay the platform – Lay thick logs close together as a floor, a second layer crosswise if needed.
4. 4Build the fire – Build and light a fire on the platform as usual.
5. 5Renew – Replace platform logs that have burned through in time so the fire does not sink.

Danger: No fire on the ice of lakes or rivers: the heat weakens the ice.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-snow-platform

1. 1Check rules – Check notices or ask the municipality or beach staff whether and where fires are allowed.
2. 2Choose a site – On open sand far from dunes, beach grass, driftwood piles and boats; take wind and tides into account.
3. 3Fuel – Use dry firewood brought with you.
4. 4Keep it small – Keep the fire small and reduce or put it out if the wind picks up.
5. 5Douse with water – Pour on plenty of water, stir, pour again until the ash and the sand underneath are cold.
6. 6Clean up – Take away or dispose of cold remains and rubbish as provided for on site.

Danger: Never bury a fire with sand. Sand insulates the embers, which then stay hot for many hours – people, especially children, can step on them barefoot and be badly burned. Always put it out with plenty of water, stir and feel.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-beach

1. 1Decide – Assess wind strength, gusts, dryness and vegetation downwind.
2. 2Find natural shelter – Use the lee behind rocks, banks or in hollows, without going under overhanging branches.
3. 3Clear generously – Clear the area around the fire site, especially downwind, of leaves, grass and deadwood.
4. 4Build low – Choose a compact, low lay, e.g. a lean-to with the cross-piece on the windward side so the lighting point is sheltered.
5. 5Shield with your body – Kneel with your back to the wind and hold the ignition source close to the tinder.
6. 6Keep small and watch – Add only a little wood, watch for sparks and put the fire out immediately if the wind increases.

Danger: In strong or gusty wind with dry vegetation, do not make an open fire. A stove with a windscreen or cold food is then the safe choice.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-in-wind

1. 1Check rules and danger level – Find out whether fires are allowed here (landowner, protected area, municipality, forestry authority) and whether a fire ban or high…
2. 2Prefer an existing fire ring – Where available, use an established fire pit or fire ring.
3. 3Choose the spot – Open, sheltered spot on sand, gravel, rock or mineral soil; no overhanging branches; ample distance from tent, tarp, trees, deadwood and…
4. 4Clear the ground – Remove flammable material such as leaves, needles and twigs all around until mineral soil shows.
5. 5Plan it small – Make the fire only as big as needed for cooking or warmth.
6. 6Have extinguishing means ready – Before lighting, place water (pot, canister) and a small shovel or stick within reach.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. In many regions open fires in or near forests, in protected areas or during dry spells are prohibited – fire bans always apply, including to ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-site-selection

1. 1Add fuel gradually – Add only a few pieces at a time, once the previous ones are burning well.
2. 2Limit the size – Keep the fire small: a small fire with embers warms and cooks better, throws fewer sparks and is easier to put out.
3. 3Store the woodpile safely – Keep the wood supply a few steps away and upwind so sparks cannot ignite it.
4. 4Watch – Keep an eye on sparks, changes in wind and embers outside the fire site.
5. 5Keep children and pets away – Agree a clear distance around the fire site; let children near the fire only under supervision.

Danger: Never leave a fire unattended, not even briefly. Extinguish it completely before sleeping or leaving.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-maintain-control

1. 1Build a bed of embers – Let the fire burn until an even bed of embers has formed – how long that takes depends on the wood.
2. 2Stable pot support – Set the pot on flat, dry stones, a grill or a stable tripod.
3. 3Do not fill to the brim – Fill the pot to at most about two thirds and cook with a lid.
4. 4Boil water – For drinking water, bring water to a rolling boil – the exact duration is in the boiling entry.
5. 5Remove the pot safely – Lift by the handle using a glove, pot grabber or sturdy stick, set it down on a level surface away from the fire, and clear the path…

Danger: Boiling water and hot fat cause severe scalds. Place the pot only on a stable base, handle it with a glove or pot grabber and keep children away.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-cooking

1. 1Small fire – Light a small fire with a good core of embers.
2. 2Lay the spokes – Lay three to five long logs in a star with their ends in the fire.
3. 3Feed in – Push the logs inwards as their ends burn away.
4. 4Reduce – To reduce the fire or before extinguishing, pull the logs outwards and extinguish the embers separately.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires and ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-lay-star

1. 1Check ground and rules – Find out whether digging and fire are allowed.
2. 2Lift the turf – Lift the turf in pieces and set it aside to replace later.
3. 3Dig the fire pit – Dig a hole about a forearm deep, slightly narrower at the top than at the bottom.
4. 4Air hole and tunnel – On the windward side, a short distance away, dig a smaller hole and push through at an angle to the bottom of the fire pit.
5. 5Light the fire – Light tinder and kindling in the fire pit; add wood upright.
6. 6Extinguish and refill – Extinguish with plenty of water, stir, check with your hand.

Danger: On organic soil and among roots, embers can smoulder underground and start a fire days later. Build it only in pure mineral soil and extinguish it completely with water before refilling the hole.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-dakota-hole

1. 1Choose the site – Choose an open spot with no overhanging branches, parallel to the shelter and across the wind so smoke does not blow into the shelter.
2. 2Gather wood – Gather a great deal of fuel wood before dark – much more than estimated.
3. 3Lay the logs – Lay two body-length logs parallel with a gap between them and build a fire along the whole length in between.
4. 4Reflector wall – On the side away from the shelter, build a wall of logs stacked between stakes or of dry stones.
5. 5Keep watch – Take turns watching and adding wood.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires and ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-long-fire-reflector

1. 1Gather the embers – Rake embers and remaining wood together in the centre of the fire site.
2. 2Thick log – Optionally lay one thick, dense log on the embers.
3. 3Cover with ash – Cover embers and log with a layer of ash so no flames are visible.
4. 4Supervise – Outdoors, assign a watch or check at short intervals.
5. 5Revive in the morning – Carefully brush off the ash, place tinder and thin wood on the embers and blow gently.

Danger: An unattended outdoor fire can flare up again in wind or scatter embers and start a wildfire. Where you are required to put fires out completely before sleeping, that applies without exception.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-banking-overnight

1. 1Container – Use a non-flammable container (metal tin) with a few small air holes.
2. 2Ember bed – Put in some dry ash or charred material, bed the ember on it and cover it loosely.
3. 3Check – Check regularly along the way that the ember is alive, and carry the container only by a handle or wire – it gets hot.
4. 4Revive – At the destination, place it in a tinder bundle and blow.

Danger: Carried embers can ignite containers, clothing and vegetation and start a fire unnoticed. Never in a pack, tent or vehicle, never during a fire ban.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-carrying-embers

1. 1Gas canister stove – Simple, clean, easy to regulate.
2. 2Alcohol stove – Light, quiet, almost no maintenance.
3. 3Solid fuel – Fuel tablets are light, spill-proof and keep for a long time.
4. 4Liquid fuel – Liquid-fuel stoves are powerful and cope with cold.
5. 5Wood-burning stove – Small wood stoves use twigs as fuel.
6. 6Operate safely – Outdoors, on a stable surface, with a windscreen, never unattended.

Danger: Never use a fire, embers or a stove inside a tent, vehicle, snow shelter or enclosed room: carbon monoxide is invisible, odourless and can be fatal.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-stoves-compared

1. 1Choose a site – Choose level, fireproof ground with plenty of distance from buildings, trees and vegetation; have extinguishing water ready.
2. 2Cut – Secure the log upright and saw several cuts crosswise from the top down to roughly two thirds to three quarters of its height.
3. 3Add tinder – Push tinder and fine shavings into the centre and the upper slots.
4. 4Light at the top – Light the tinder at the top.
5. 5Supervise – Supervise the fire constantly; once the log becomes unstable, stop placing pots on it.

Danger: The log can tip or fall apart as it burns down. Set it up only on level, fireproof ground, keep your distance and place pots carefully.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-swedish-torch

1. 1Lay out the shape – In a permitted fire site, mark out a round burning area and a narrow extension, ideally with the extension lying across the wind.
2. 2Fire in the round part – Build a fire in the round part and keep it going with hardwood or enough fuel wood until coals form.
3. 3Rake coals – Use a stick or shovel to rake coals into the narrow part.
4. 4Cook – Place a grate or pot over the narrow part, e.g. on flat, dry stones.
5. 5Extinguish both areas – At the end, completely extinguish both the burning and coal areas: drown, stir, feel.

Danger: Before every fire, check the local rules and the current wildfire danger. Fire bans always apply – including to practice fires and ‘small’ fires.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-keyhole

1. 1Lay a base – On an open, safe spot, lay down a fireproof base or set a fire pan on stones.
2. 2Heap mineral soil – Heap sand or mineral soil into a flat platform several fingers thick and larger than the planned fire.
3. 3Small fire – Light a small fire with thin wood and keep it small.
4. 4Let it burn down – Let the wood burn down completely to ash in good time, then extinguish with water, stir and feel.
5. 5Restore – Scatter the cold ash widely and return the sand or soil to where it came from.

Danger: On peat and humus-rich soil, embers can creep into the ground unnoticed and smoulder there for days. Make the mineral layer thick enough or do without a fire.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-mound-fire-pan

1. 1Dry wood – Use only dry, seasoned, split wood.
2. 2Small and hot – A small fire with good draught burns cleaner than a large, smothered stack.
3. 3Sit right – Sit across the wind direction, not downwind.
4. 4Consider neighbours – In residential areas, consider wind direction, open windows and laundry, and reduce or put out the fire if it causes a nuisance.

Danger: Do not burn rubbish, plastics or painted, coated or treated wood – this produces toxic gases.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-smoke-management

1. 1Check rules – Check with the municipality whether open fires are allowed in gardens and whether any drought bans apply.
2. 2Placement – Set up on stone, paving or gravel with generous distance from the house, shed, fence, hedge, trees and woodpiles – not on a wooden deck or…
3. 3Have extinguishing means ready – Have a connected garden hose or a bucket of water or fire extinguisher within reach.
4. 4Light – Light with fire-lighters and dry kindling, never with fuel liquids.
5. 5Supervise – One adult stays responsible.
6. 6Extinguish and ash – Let it burn down, extinguish with water and stir.

Danger: Never use a fire bowl in a garage, conservatory, tent or under roofs and awnings – risk of fire and carbon monoxide.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-garden-fire-bowl

1. 1Start in good time – Begin extinguishing well before you want to leave or sleep.
2. 2Drown – Slowly pour plenty of water over all embers and ash, including the edges, until the hissing stops.
3. 3Stir – Stir embers, ash and charred pieces of wood with a stick or shovel.
4. 4Drown again – Add water again and keep stirring.
5. 5Feel – Hold the back of your hand at a safe distance above the fire site and move it closer carefully.
6. 6Leave no trace – Where allowed and sensible, scatter cold ash, return stones and replace lifted turf.

Danger: If a fire spreads into vegetation and cannot be put out immediately: get everyone to safety, move away crosswise to its spread and away from the wind, and call the local emergency number (112 in the EU).

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-extinguish

1. 1Mark a safety circle – Mark a clearly visible circle around the fire site (sticks, stones, a line in the sand).
2. 2Explain rules – Before lighting: no running, no pushing, nothing thrown into the fire, no waving burning sticks around, no touching hot things.
3. 3Fixed seats – Set seats at a safe distance, not downwind.
4. 4Safe twist bread – Use long sticks, cook over coals rather than flames and put hot tips into the water bucket or fire straight after eating.
5. 5Give tasks – Sorting wood by size, guarding the extinguishing water, helping stir while extinguishing – depending on age.
6. 6Extinguish together – At the end, show how a fire is put out completely and leave the fire site only when everything is cold.

Danger: Never throw aerosol cans, batteries, glass, closed cans or bottles into the fire – they can burst or explode.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-children-campfire-safety

1. 1Get informed – Before the trip, check with the responsible authority, forestry service, protected-area management or campsite and look up the current…
2. 2Know types of restrictions – Typical are: fires only at designated sites, fires only with permission or the landowner's consent, seasonal bans, total bans including…
3. 3Use existing fire sites – Where fire is permitted, use existing fire sites instead of creating new ones.
4. 4Responsible wood – Collect only dead and down wood where this is permitted, do not damage living trees; in many places it is recommended to buy firewood…
5. 5Leave no trace – Keep fires small, never leave them unattended, extinguish completely, do not burn food scraps or packaging, and take all rubbish with you.

Danger: A fire ban applies without exception – including small fires, open-flame stoves (unless explicitly permitted), barbecues and cigarettes. Penalties and liability for fires caused can be substantial.

survivebetter.com/en/explore/fire/fire-bans-etiquette