How important is fire in the desert?

U

ukknifer

Joined
Jan 30, 2010
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Hi
Where would you put fire in your priority list in deserts that do not very cold at night?


I understand the psychological effect of starting fire in a survival situation. I also know that it can be used to cook and treat water but you have to find water first right?

Isn't water and navigation more important in this type of environment? Maybe fire and shelter later. ?????
Thanks
 
Fire can be VERY important in the desert. Temps might be 90+ during the day but they can quickly go to the low 30s at night. I have felt this myself a few times in the high desert of Oregon. 100 during the day and 32 that night! Felt very good about overpacking and bringing the big sleeping bag "just in case" :)
 
If it isn't getting very cold at night (like this time of year in the Southern CA deserts), and there's no particularly good reason to start a fire, I generally don't. I think psychologically, it's hard for some people to handle this, particularly if it's a survival situation. In some deserts, though, you may have little choice, as there may be very little fuel to be found. Maintaining a fire to keep from being lonely and scared can be wasteful.
 
Water with animal crap, green particles, etc may be your only water source.
Lots of filtering and lots of boiling may be your only choice.

Boiling water => FIRE. Keep your options open.
 
Fire is ALWAYS important. It does much more than improve morale. It is also the most expedient manner to cook food. purify water, signal etc.

Deserts especialy are very deceptive as far as weather goes. Daytime temps may average in the 90's during the day, and drop merely into the 50's to 60's at night which will generaly pose no problem. However it is far more likely that nightime temps will drop into the 40;s-30's wihich will place the survivor in a risk of hypothermia. This risk is greatly increased if one is dehydrated or ill (as in sick from drinking dirty water)

Carrying a few essntials to start fire and spending a number of hours in learning to use both man made aids and primitive techniques to start a fire is some of the best insurance you can gain.
 
I just got back from a week of desert hiking in Arizona (Havasupai) and a fire at night was the last thing I wanted. It got up to 108F during the day, and night was never refreshing hanging in the high 80's. I understand that a desert is defined by rainfall, so it may be cold elswhere, but a fire is not necissary for warmth in the west this time of year.

A far as water goes, we were near a drinkable spring, plus we brought several ceramic pump filters, plus we brout iodine tabs. It take a lot of wrong for us to come down to boiling water... I of course still carried a Bic and a flint!
 
temps can swing 50° here in the desert, so it can get chilly at night... even if it ain't freezing your body doesn't always adapt easily to the drop in temp.

i keep a watch cap in my Camelbak, even in the summer.

chunks of dead Joshua Trees, AKA: "hedgehogs" burn well.
 
if theres no need for a fire then dont start one.i dont understand what ur asking i guess, are you saying if theres no need for a fire then why carry fire supplies? how much does a firesteel get in the way..better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it.
 
I'd say it's pretty important. I remember camping in the scouts out in Arizona. It would be boiling hot during the day and then be freezing at night. Something like the air couldn't hold the heat at night because of the lack of moisture? I'm not a science guy but yeah, it's important everywhere.
 
Opinel#6 said:
I'd say it's pretty important. I remember camping in the scouts out in Arizona. It would be boiling hot during the day and then be freezing at night. Something like the air couldn't hold the heat at night because of the lack of moisture? I'm not a science guy but yeah, it's important everywhere.
Click to expand...


winner, winner, chicken dinner! :D
 
fire in southern deserts is for cooking, summer nites are at mid 80s. however if its a gang out the guys like to stand around the fire , drink booze & tell war stories.
dennis
 
it dpends on your activity I suppose.. If youare camping with the luxuries of modern convenience such as packed in water or ceramic filters..that's one thing But if you are surviving.. remember fire was the original multitool
Keeps the boggieman at bay
keeps you warm
Cooks food
dries clothing
Purifies water
hardens wooden implements for weapons or hunting tools
can be used to burn depressions to make anything from a container to rock boil in to other weapons and tools
smoke can be used to ward of insects which in the desert can carry a host of nasty diseases
smoke can be used to signal during the day
fire can be used to signal by night
fire can be used to section wood for building
it can be used in controlled bursts to drive game (even if it;s just locusts)
the list goes on and on
so if you are out just camping than maybe not.. but if you are survivng long term or there is a chance your camping trip could go south (which is always a chance) than yes the abilty to manufacture and manipulate fire is important no matter where you are.
Just my 2 cents for what it's worth.
 
Back in the days of Beau Geste the French Foreign Legion in Algeria would carry firewood in their packs when they went on campaign.

Fire is important. Carrying firewood in addition to combat gear would not be fun.

-Stan
 
it's psychological moreso than anything-an established spot to call home, light source at night in the immediate vicinity, cooking your food which can otherwise be carrying bacteria or worms, sanitizing water, and 22 Rimfire's right-it gives you something to do at night. You have light by which to look over a map, notes (that you took during the day or that you can write at night about events that went down during the day) you can sew, carve, do any number of meticulous time consuming tasks that you could otherwise be using your daylight for on things farther away from camp.
 
I have been in areas of the Mojave in the summer months and seen it cold enough to snow. One time when we were just north of Death Valley (a couple miles from "the Racetrack") the last week of May the weather changed over 80 degrees in 12 hours. I have been in that same area and seen it over 100 at midnight.

Other than lack of material to burn, the biggest problem with fire on the desert is visability; it cuts down on your ability to see (night vision) and it will tell everyone (and everything) in 50 miles exactly where you are.
 
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