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- Oct 28, 2017
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Now that all of that excitement is over, I actually thought it might be pleasant and informative to have a civilised discussion on this topic. I am sure that many of us have been in wet weather and wanted to get a fire going. Here is how I’ve been successful, and one abject failure. There is nothing ground breaking here from me, just what I have actually experienced!
The big failure was in some woodland on Dartmoor, here in England, in February some years ago. I was with a pal, and the weather was just shocking. Even under tree cover the downpour was torrential. All day we had had snow, hail, but mostly rain, and it did not stop. We had made very poor progress, with much of the lower moorland becoming mire like. Despite having dry tinder and kindling, between us we could not get a fire to light. But, we had a tent, sleeping bags and clothes in dry bags. We slept fine. It was a miserable walk out the next day, however.
On other occasions I’ve been luckier, and better prepared perhaps. My first priority is to get a tarp rigged, quick and dirty on a ridge line between trees, if feasible. I prepare the wood under the tarp. First cutting planks to make a base, then lots of kindling, and as large pieces of bark and as many pieces as I can get. Then I make the tinder, or take it out of my pack, and prepare that on a smaller piece of bark. At the last moment, I place the base planks down for the fire, then quickly build a wickiup type structure with the kindling, with an aperture to place the tinder. Bark covers as much of the outside of the structure as possible. Then I ignite the tinder and place it in the structure.
This has worked for me on quite a few occasions. One of my daughter’s proudest moments was when she did this in the rain, aged 11, with me looking on dewy eyed.
As I say, nothing groundbreaking here, but maybe you guys have other techniques and tips?
The big failure was in some woodland on Dartmoor, here in England, in February some years ago. I was with a pal, and the weather was just shocking. Even under tree cover the downpour was torrential. All day we had had snow, hail, but mostly rain, and it did not stop. We had made very poor progress, with much of the lower moorland becoming mire like. Despite having dry tinder and kindling, between us we could not get a fire to light. But, we had a tent, sleeping bags and clothes in dry bags. We slept fine. It was a miserable walk out the next day, however.
On other occasions I’ve been luckier, and better prepared perhaps. My first priority is to get a tarp rigged, quick and dirty on a ridge line between trees, if feasible. I prepare the wood under the tarp. First cutting planks to make a base, then lots of kindling, and as large pieces of bark and as many pieces as I can get. Then I make the tinder, or take it out of my pack, and prepare that on a smaller piece of bark. At the last moment, I place the base planks down for the fire, then quickly build a wickiup type structure with the kindling, with an aperture to place the tinder. Bark covers as much of the outside of the structure as possible. Then I ignite the tinder and place it in the structure.
This has worked for me on quite a few occasions. One of my daughter’s proudest moments was when she did this in the rain, aged 11, with me looking on dewy eyed.
As I say, nothing groundbreaking here, but maybe you guys have other techniques and tips?