High altitude fires

[The REAL Commander]

I am curious if anyone else has ever had trouble lighting a fire at high altitudes. I don't even mean mountain summits, but just up around the 10,000 foot mark. I ask because I once had a really tough time getting a fire going at around 9000 ft. Admittedly, it was a sleet storm and everything was soaked, but no matter what we tried to light, it wouldn't go. We even tried dry paper from our wallets (used up my emergency arsewipe) and it just didn't want to go. A splash of 151 rum was needed to get any flame going at all, but to sum it up, it was a real tough chore, and I can usually get a fire going in only seconds. Think the altiitude may have acted in conjunction with the damp air to make combustion more difficult, or was I just having a really bad day? :foot:

 

[RescueRiley]

sometimes in higher places I like to dig an air channel which is basically a small trench dug from outside the fire area in to the center of the fire pit..this brings a fresh supply of air to the bottom of the fire where it is needed most...of course I have no scientific backing for this it just seems to work for me.. with the thinner air the more 02 the better... also it helps the smoke to travel straight up which can be handy when burning wet wood.

 

[popedandy]

I've spent a lot of time up over 10,000 feet in the Uinta mountains out in Utah and never had any trouble getting a fire started. I'm inclined to think it was probably more the weather conditions than the altitude.

 

[mckrob]

never had a problem here in Peru 10,000-16,000 feet, the last house I lived in here was at about 10,000' and we burned wood in the fireplace, never had a problem, and the locals here in the mountains all cook with eucalyptus wood on open fires inside their homes, never seen any of them have any trouble either...

 

[Bob W]

9,000 feet isn't really "high altitude", so I doubt the elevation had much to do with your fire troubles. Dampness was more likely the problem.