101 Critical Days of Summer: Camping and Outdoor Fire Safety

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Shane Chandler
  • 341st Logistics Readiness Squadron
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  Campfires are a major part of camping and being outdoors. They can provide great memories of cooking s' mores and telling stories. Fires also allow you to cook food, boil water, provide heat and light; it is a companion that offers self-assurance and it can be your distress signal if needed. To ensure that everyone has a pleasant time, there are a few simple but important steps to follow on preparation and technique. 

Get all the materials together in their proper place before you strike your match. Situate your fire at least 10 feet away from tents, trees, roots and other flammable items. Make sure you have a flat area, preferably dug a few inches into the ground, to contain the fire. Clean a circle of 2 to 5 feet from around the fire pit of excess pine needles and leaves. This also keeps the area free of tripping hazards. The last thing you want to do is fall in the fire. 

Assemble a fire ring of stone to prevent embers from blowing into the surrounding area and starting other fires. Avoid rocks that might be saturated with water, as steam pressure buildup within the rocks can lead to explosive fracturing that may injure nearby people. Always keep the fire ring 24 inches wider than the base of the fire to help lessen the chance of overheating normal stones as well. 

Whenever possible use old dried wood from conifers (evergreens) for starting fires. Dry cones are great, too. Just remember that pine, cedar and spruce will start a fire quickly but will burn swiftly. Aspen, birch and poplar are quite common and they make good fires as they burn hot but fairly fast. Whatever you have at hand to burn, gather at least three times more than you think you will need. Experience shows that you will use it. Stack your firewood by size about 5 feet away from the fire pit area. 

To properly build a fire you need a good foundation. Lay a foundation of fine tinder, such as shavings from dried twigs or pine needles or whittle with a knife from a dried branch. If possible, do not use leaves. They float into the air very easily. Slowly build up above the fine tinder bed, crisscross a few larger dry twigs about the size of a pencil. Have increasingly larger pieces of wood on hand. A good method is to lay your tinder beside a short length of stick 3 to 6 inches in diameter. Lean the larger twigs over the tinder and against the large stick. 

When the tinder catches, the twigs will flame up quickly allowing you to add still larger pieces of wood and before you know it you'll have a good blaze. Once you have a good bed of coals, you can cook your food in no time. 

A few things you don't want to do. Don't throw full bottles or cans into the fire. They may explode and someone could get hurt. Don't burn painted wood or pressure treated wood. It gives off toxic fumes. Do not try and set a new world record for the largest camp fire in history. You can and will be held liable for damages and cost if your fire gets out of control. Every year there are forest fires that consume millions of acres, homes and even lives. Please be aware camp fires are fun to have but need to be managed responsibly.
Make sure your fire is completely out before leaving camp. Douse with water, scatter cinders and cover with dirt. You should feel confident about putting a finger in the fire pit and not being burned. Check it at least twice by pouring water and checking for "hisses." Practice good environmental habits, restore the ground around your camp to the condition you found it in. 

Here are a few other areas to think about when out camping. Be sure to park all automobiles on improved gravel or dirt surfaces and avoid driving or parking on unimproved roads with high grass growing in the center of the tracks. Catalytic converters on many cars may cause very dry grasses to spark and catch fire. Don't smoke in areas experiencing extreme dryness. Throwing cigarette butts out the car window, even on improved roads, is a highly dangerous practice that can lead to wild fires. 

Before venturing out, check the weather forecast and check the fire and drought conditions for the area you will be visiting. You can find fire and drought information on www.mt.gov.