Ilona Burgers/sxc.hu
Becoming stranded in the woods after a hike or outdoor excursion is something most people don't prepare for, but they probably should. Carrying essential items, such as an emergency blanket and some form of fire starter can mean the difference between life and death when you are lost out in the elements. Knowing how to make a fire bed is a skill that every outdoors person should have, especially when hiking in temperatures below freezing. The concept is simple and might just save your life.
Tips & Warnings
Always remember that hardwood trees are deciduous, meaning they lose their leaves in the fall. These trees include maple, elm, oak, hickory, madrone and tanoak. Softwood trees are firs, cedars, pines and redwoods.
You can easily start a fire with a lens on a sunny day. Hold the lens on the kindling facing the direction of the sun. As the sun penetrates the lens, the kindling will get hotter and hotter. Eventually, it will begin to burn. Continue adding fresh kindling to the fire to keep it burning.
For the duration of the burn, you might want to consider utilizing the fire for purposes of cooking or sanitizing water. A coffee can, metal bowl or other metal container can be placed over the fire and filled with rainwater, snow or river water and brought to a boil. The water can then be cooled and used for drinking.
Always remember that hardwood trees are deciduous, meaning they lose their leaves in the fall. These trees include maple, elm, oak, hickory, madrone and tanoak. Softwood trees are firs, cedars, pines and redwoods.
You can easily start a fire with a lens on a sunny day. Hold the lens on the kindling facing the direction of the sun. As the sun penetrates the lens, the kindling will get hotter and hotter. Eventually, it will begin to burn. Continue adding fresh kindling to the fire to keep it burning.
For the duration of the burn, you might want to consider utilizing the fire for purposes of cooking or sanitizing water. A coffee can, metal bowl or other metal container can be placed over the fire and filled with rainwater, snow or river water and brought to a boil. The water can then be cooled and used for drinking.
Make sure your dirt layer over the hot rocks is at least 6 inches deep. If it is too thin, you can get burned.
Be sure no open air pockets are present and that no rocks poke through the surface. Either would allow heat or steam to escape.
Make sure your dirt layer over the hot rocks is at least 6 inches deep. If it is too thin, you can get burned.
Be sure no open air pockets are present and that no rocks poke through the surface. Either would allow heat or steam to escape.
