There are many types of fires, and we need them, like the fire itself, in the forest for various purposes - for cooking, heating, illumination in the dark and scaring away wild animals. Let's look at the main types of fires and talk about how to light them.
It is important to light a fire with care to prevent the possibility of a fire. It’s best to use the previous fire pit. Make sure there are no stumps, dry grass, leaves, or bush branches nearby. Clear the area thoroughly. Do not leave the fire, but carefully extinguish it. To do this, pour a bucket of water over the fire and cover it with earth.
Bonfire - hut
You will need: kindling, tree branches, matches or other ignition material.
This known species fire. Small branches are placed in the shape of the hut, and kindling is placed in the center. As it burns, larger branches are added.
This type of fire is good for cooking, heating and lighting. The downside is that it requires constant addition of fuel.
For kindling, birch bark is suitable - the “paper” bark of a birch tree, which is spaced from the trunk. It happens both on standing wood and on fallen wood. If there is none, then bark that fits tightly to the birch trunk will do. In this case, in order not to injure the tree or expose the trunk, remove only upper layer birch bark To do this, a longitudinal cut is made, and half of the birch bark is easily removed. Also suitable for kindling are spruce bark with resin, dry grass, small twigs, moss, etc.
Bonfire star
You will need: an axe, kindling, up to 10 long logs, matches or other means for lighting.
Such a fire does not burn intensely, but is economical and does not require frequent addition of new branches. It requires up to 10 long logs. The logs are laid in the form of an asterisk, so that they diverge from one point in a circle. The center of the star is set on fire, and as it burns, the logs are moved towards the center.
Bonfire well
You will need: axe, kindling, logs, matches or other kindling material.
The logs are stacked in a log house. We put kindling - wood chips, twigs, dry grass, chopped small firewood - inside the log house and set it on fire. After some time, the logs themselves are engaged.
In such a fire, the logs burn slowly, and a lot of coals will be created, releasing high temperatures. It is suitable for cooking, heating and lighting.
The advantage of this fire is good air circulation and oxygen access to the burning wood.
Log fire - Finnish candle
You will need: saw, axe, log, kindling, matches or other kindling device.
Another simple way to start a fire, which will also allow you to easily cook food. Take a log, 15-35 cm in diameter, or saw off part of the log. It is important that the log is cut from the log clearly vertically, so that it can stand securely on its base, and on top there is a horizontal surface on which to place a saucepan or kettle.
Chop the log with an ax or saw into four to six pieces. Gather the pieces back into the log so that they stand vertically, but slightly apart, about two centimeters. In the resulting space, place kindling - twigs, dry grass and birch bark. Place the twigs and wood chips horizontally, in different directions, in the space between the parts of the log, and then set fire to the resulting filler. The kindling will burn out, and then the firewood itself will take over. You will get a reliable, upward-pointing flame. Since the logs are vertical and bunched together, high temperatures are generated on top. Adjust the temperature by moving the logs apart and moving them apart. And since there is space between the firewood, this promotes air circulation, as a result of which the flame does not go out. Place a pot or frying pan on top of this firewood for cooking, or place a kettle and boil water.
U this method there are variations. Instead of splitting the log into pieces, you can make cuts to the middle of the log. Another option is to use several whole logs instead of parts of one log; this will increase the operating time of the Finnish candle.
Bonfire Pyramid
You will need: axe, kindling, logs various sizes, matches or other igniter.
It's a slow fire, but long burning. It is useless when the logs are damp, since they are stacked tightly and there is very little air circulation. However, in dry weather this is great guy fire, allowing you to practically not worry about its maintenance.
The fire pyramid consists of several layers. At the bottom there are two large logs laid parallel. Several logs of smaller diameter are placed on them, in a continuous layer across the bottom two logs. The third layer is even thinner logs and the same across the second layer, and then we continue in the same spirit up to 8-10 layers. Kindling is placed on top, which is set on fire.
Bonfire Dakota
You will need: a shovel, kindling, firewood, matches or other means of ignition.
It is done in the ground. A hole is dug 30-50 cm deep and 30 cm in diameter. After the cylindrical hole has been dug, step back 10 cm from the top and expand the bottom of the hole so that the hole takes the shape of a light bulb. And then, stepping back 30 centimeters from the dug hole, dig another hole with a tunnel to the first one. Dig the second hole in relation to the wind: if the wind blows from the left, then dig a hole to the left of the first, if the wind blows from the right, then dig a hole to the right. This is needed for traction. Next, we put kindling in the first hole and set it on fire, and then gradually add larger branches and logs.
This type of fire is suitable for windy areas where it is difficult to light a fire on the surface. Such a fire does not smoke and is hardly noticeable, therefore, if you want to hide your presence, it is better to place the fuel no higher than the edges of the pit, otherwise the fire will smoke. At night, this fire is also not noticeable, since the flames are mainly concentrated below the surface of the earth.
On a Dakota fire you can quickly boil water or cook food in a pot. It is convenient to regulate the draft of this fire by opening and closing the second pit.
Bonfire in the winter forest – Nodya
You will need: an axe, kindling or coals from another fire, two logs same size- 2-3 m in length, two poles - 4-5 meters in length, two twigs-hooks, matches or other means for ignition.
This is actually not even a fire, but a smoldering powerful source of heat. It is reliable, long lasting, warm and discreet as it does not burn brightly. This good way making a fire in the snowy winter. Nodya heats for a very long time, but it is better to take into account that it is designed to heat only one person.
The node looks like two logs 2-3 m long, laid on top of each other horizontally, with a wall with a small gap of 2-2.5 cm. To prevent the top log from rolling off, a special one is made suspension system from two poles and two hook branches.
For nodes, it is better to take standing wood, as it is important that it be dry. Two large logs of equal length are required. You also need 4-5 meter poles with a fork at the end. It is important that the poles are elastic. We insert them into the snow or under a tree trunk at an angle to the top log. You also need two hook branches.
We hang the top log. We make a nick from the top of the edge of the log with a strong blow and hammer the hanger hook into the nick. We do the same on the other side. We take a log and hang it on poles by the hangers. The poles should rest against the hooks. To do this, you can support the poles from below with logs, branches, etc. The poles hold the top log, preventing it from rolling down during the burning process.
There are two ways to light a node.
- IN bottom log Wedges are driven into the sides, on which the pole is placed. It turns out to be a shelf on which coals from a regular daytime fire are placed. And the node flares up from these coals.
- Second way. We need to stuff kindling between the logs. To do this, initially create a gap between the logs using support sticks. Having stuffed the kindling, we set it on fire, the knot flares up, and we remove the supports.
Nodya should burn along the entire length of the logs, this is very important. If you do not use the ends of the logs, the middle will burn out, the gap between the logs will increase and the node will go out. If it smolders throughout the log, it will work for up to 15 hours.
Important! You won't be able to install the node the first time! In order to start winter sleepovers with Nadia, you will need a lot of training setups first.
Bonfire in a wet forest
You will need: axe, knife, logs, branches different diameters, matches or other source of fire, tarpaulin or awning.
To light a fire in a wet forest, you will need to get dry wood chips. How to do it?
Wet twigs are not suitable for this. Take thick log, split into pieces and plan dry shavings from the core, which will turn out to be dry. You can cut the lower branches from the trees, and by cutting away the damp upper wood, you will get to the dry center. Thin, dead spruce trees are also suitable, and for the fire you need fragments of trunks coated with resin, because It protects the wood from moisture penetration, and it is also possible to plan dry chips from this wood.
The process of collecting shavings and wood chips is long – an hour or even two. However, if you have a lot of fine wood shavings, the fire will burn quickly and easily. During rain or snow, to prevent the shavings from getting wet, cover yourself and the shavings with a piece of polyethylene or tarpaulin, or collect the shavings under an awning.
When there are a lot of shavings, melt them and place small wet sticks around them - vertically, in the form of a hut. As they dry, they will start to burn. Next, install larger sticks, etc.
To keep the fire burning, collect spruce bark with resin, as well as birch bark, which contains flammable tar.
Gas burners instead of a fire for cooking
You will need: gas-burner and a balloon.
Gas-burner- an excellent source of fire for cooking; with its help you can easily and quickly heat up a kettle or cook food for 1-3 people. You don't have to waste time making a fire, getting coals, and after cooking, putting out the fire.
Also, by using a burner, you do not harm nature. Fires leave burnt circles for several years; a burner allows you to avoid this.
The disadvantage of a burner compared to a fire is that it weighs a lot, and you have to carry the cylinders on yourself. Also with low temperatures and in the mountains the burners do not work well. But the rest is good source fire. Especially if you go to nature reserves where fires are not allowed. Also, a gas burner is a good option for a fire source in a wet forest, where it is difficult to organize a fire, and you don’t want to spend hours preparing coals.
Reading time ≈ 3 minutes
A Finnish candle is a kind of mini-bonfire made from a small stump or a piece of log. It is used for cooking in a boiler and heating water. It can be a good replacement for a regular fire during evening gatherings in nature. In production Finnish candle with your own hands in just 20 minutes, the burning time is about half an hour.
Features of the manufacture and use of Finnish candles
To prepare a Finnish (Swedish, Indian) candle you will need a small stump or block. The easy-to-make device can be used for lighting and even for short-term decoration of open areas. Tourists most often use it as a portable light source or for cooking. It takes a little time to create a candle, but the duration of burning and the heat generated from it are optimal for preparing porridge or boiling water on a hike.
Features of preparing a mini-bonfire
It will allow you to conveniently saw a block of wood preliminary preparation: in its center it is necessary to drill a hole with a diameter of about 2-3 cm.
The same procedure must be carried out with a stump or log. bigger size and weight. A stick is inserted into the hole on the main block (can be replaced with a branch). A log with large parameters is strung onto an installed stick. Such a counterweight will allow you to make a candle carefully and safely. After connecting the logs and placing them on the sawhorse for sawing firewood, work is carried out according to the following instructions:
1. The log is cut crosswise using an electric or gasoline saw. The depth of the cut should be no more than 2/3 of the height of the entire block.
2. Using a regular lit candle, cover the side parts and the bottom of the cut with paraffin (or wax).
3. Cut a small strip of paper (newspaper can be used) with a length 4-5 cm greater than the cutting depth. It is folded in half, then unfolded, and paraffin shavings are poured over the fold. It is important to take into account that the layer should be made large, but so that the paper then easily rolls up and the paraffin itself does not spill out.
4. The paper with paraffin is wrapped lengthwise. And with the help of a pencil, a thick knitting needle or a screwdriver, it is pushed into the cross-shaped cut. It is important to carry out the procedure carefully so as not to damage the paper or spill paraffin. 4-5 cm of paper with paraffin should remain above the log.
5. The resulting wick is fixed with molten paraffin. To do this, you need to light a regular candle and pour a melting compound where the wick joins the wood. At this stage, the Finnish candle will be completely ready.
To get a burning log, the performer only needs to set fire to the manufactured wick. Thanks to the presence of paraffin inside, the log will burn more slowly and the temperature will be maintained. You can make a Finnish candle with your own hands in just 15-20 minutes. If the performer does not have an electric or gasoline saw, then the cuts should be made manually. The made mini-bonfire can be used on hikes (it is important to consider the weight of the candle) or for home camping.
The fact that it is manufactured Finnish candle will burn brightly, the attached photos and video materials will help you verify. But the performer must take into account that the cuts in the log should not be too deep: in this case, it will burn out very quickly. It is equally important to place the block of wood on the tile or metal plate. This will eliminate the risk of fire in the dry vegetation surrounding it. If there are no special stands, you can install the candle on an earthen area that has previously been cleared of grass and leaves.
Finnish candle - simple and effective for boiling water and cooking in the field.
Its essence lies in the fact that two longitudinal cuts are made in the log, perpendicular to each other, as a result of which an X-shaped crosshair is formed at the end. The depth and number of cuts depends on the desired time and intensity of combustion. The positive of this configuration is also that you can independently choose the total length of the log and the depth of the cuts, thanks to which you have the opportunity to raise the burning part of the log above the surface or snow to the required height if you do not want your fire to fall into the snow, or left noticeable scorch marks on the ground. Commercial and field representatives of this configuration are often cut with a chainsaw, the chain of which is wide enough so that such a Finnish spark plug can be easily ignited later.
However, my attempts to make it using a folding camp saw were not successful, and I see the reasons for this as follows:
- The thickness of the saw is small, which is why the existing cuts do not provide the proper air flow to ignite the insides of the log.
- Inability to influence the processes occurring inside the log. A log with cuts is a kind of monolith that cannot be moved apart or looked inside. Everything that falls back into the cut is unlikely to be removed, again due to their small width. If you make a mistake, there is no way to correct it and, most likely, you will have to break the existing one or cut another log.
- Smooth cuts of wood inside the cuts, which is why it burns poorly. The flame emitted by the kindling in the early stages of combustion is not sufficient for tangential ignition, and the combustion temperature is not yet sufficient to burn the fibers deep.
- When the cuts are densely filled with kindling (sawdust, leaves, bark fragments, etc.), the air flow is further blocked, thereby disturbing the balance.
In addition to attempting primary ignition (by igniting kindling inside the cuts), I also tried secondary ignition (using coals from another fire), but although success increases, such a Finnish candle requires another fire, as well as an impressive amount of time for burning and fanning. Not that this is a pleasant and 100% reliable option.
In general, I consider this configuration not the best. If you have a chainsaw - yes, but only with tourist saw— it is better to use other configurations. Wider holes can theoretically be obtained by making not one, but two cuts on each side at a distance of about a centimeter from each other, with further removal of the wood between them. But in this case, I consider the labor costs too significant and ineffective to even start doing this. In addition, for this configuration you generally need to have a saw with you, otherwise it is not at all possible to make longitudinal cuts in the log.
Finnish candle - configuration 2
This configuration eliminates most of the problems with narrow cuts and the need for a saw, because To create it, you can get by with an ax, or even just a knife if you don’t have any other tools. Moreover, for this configuration, not only a smoothly sawn log will be suitable, but also its severed counterpart, which will not have such a smooth surface.
With an ax or knife using and/or, the log is split into quarters. If they are not completely even, it’s not critical, because... We are interested, first of all, in the possibility of installing dishes on top of a Finnish candle, and not in appearance.
Next, on the inner surfaces of each quarter, using the same ax or knife, many notches should be made, peeling off part of the wood in the form of splinters and feathers. Their direction should be opposite to the direction of fire movement, i.e. the fire inside the log should flare up not along the chips, but “against the grain.” This wood chips will subsequently play the role of kindling for the Finnish candle, significantly accelerating and simplifying its ignition.
The next step is to cover the treated quarters with soil and tie them with wire or rope at the bottom, which provides the necessary support and stability when placing the utensils on top of the log. After fixing, the spaces between the quarters are filled with kindling and small combustible materials (sawdust, leaves, pine needles, fragments of bark, etc.)
The significant advantage of this configuration over the previous one is the following positive aspects:
- The ability to influence the width of the gap between the quarters of the log. They filled too much kindling and blocked the flow of air - the quarters can always be moved apart and some of the materials removed, after which the soil can be compacted again and one step back. This Finnish candle forgives some mistakes that the previous configuration does not allow.
- Notches on inner surface quarters flare up much faster and easier than smooth walls from the previous configuration due to the increased contact surface. Thanks to this, less external kindling is required.
Among other things, this configuration ignites equally well using primary (ignition with tinder and kindling) and secondary ignition (with coals from another fire). So, in the photo above, several coals were simply thrown into the Finnish candle, and then everything happened by itself. There was no need to inflate anything, because... To control the air flow, simply move the quarters apart to the required width. The notches inside the log quickly raise the flame above its surface, and the Finnish candle goes into its working mode.
Finnish candle - configuration 3
To create this configuration you will need the most materials, but at the same time, in my observations, it has the most high efficiency and working hours.
For the third configuration of the Finnish candle, you will need as many as three logs of approximately the same length. Fortunately, it is almost always possible to cut them from one tree trunk. The length and diameter of the logs are selected based on the desired operating time and the duration of cooking of certain dishes.
Try to choose a log without bark, or additionally debark it before proceeding. Bark - natural protection wood from many negative factors, including fire, because logs with bark, due to their increased density, flare up much worse. On outside For three of the six log halves you will need to make notches that are already familiar to you from the previous configuration. They, as in the previous case, will act as kindling and help spread the flame to large area inside the future Finnish candle.
After the notches are made, place the halves with them in the shape of a triangle, with the notches inward. Remember also that the flame inside the Finnish candle should go against the “wool” formed by the notches. With the remaining three halves, prop up the notched halves as shown in the photo above.
Next, the channel inside the three halves should be filled with tinder and kindling and ignited. Until the moment when the logs themselves ignite, you will get some kind of semblance inside the logs, therefore in the early stages you will observe mainly a large amount of smoke coming out of the bowels of the Finnish candle.
But as the temperature rises and the coal base accumulates, the logs themselves will light up, and your Finnish candle will go into its operating mode, accompanied by a high flame. This design resembles an eternal flame, with long tongues of flame and a clearly distinguishable roar during operation. But this configuration is good not only, and not so much as the ability to replace logs as they burn out. This is not a monolith (like configuration 1), there are no connected or twisted elements (like in configuration 2), so you can replace any of the burnt-out internal logs with one of the spacer halves at almost any time. All that is necessary for this is to lift the dishes from the Finnish candle, take one of the supports, place it in place with the burnt inner log and lower the pot or frying pan back. The place of the support can be taken by the next half, prepared for the next replacement of logs.
In terms of labor costs, efficiency, success and flexibility of the organization, the Finnish candle in this configuration seemed to me the most effective. You do it independent choice, and feel free to share your experience of organizing a Finnish candle in the comments.
On a trip to Lake Chepolshevskoye in July 2012, I decided to make that famous stump with vertical cuts, with which a young Finnish woman surprised experienced Siberian lumberjacks ( funny story!). It turned out exactly like in that story: first I was subjected to public ridicule and criticism, and then the critics themselves used a chainsaw, making more and more logs with cuts...
Take a piece of DRY pine or spruce log at least half a meter long and from one end with a chainsaw two cuts are made “crosswise” along the log at about three-quarters of its height. A certain amount of gasoline or other flammable mixture is poured into the center of the cut and set on fire. The flame spreads upward in the center of the log; the side slots serve to supply oxygen to the combustion zone. The log burns for a long time, several hours, and during this time you can not only warm the kettle, but also prepare serious dishes...
Some people call this type of fire a Finnish candle, some an Indian candle, and some a Swedish candle. Sometimes you can hear the word Volya or even "turbopen".
My main mistake in making the first Finnish candle in my life was that I took a damp pine log, almost completely wet by the rains. After several unsuccessful attempts set fire to its center from below, under the ridicule of friends, I placed this block of wood on an ordinary fire with the sawn end facing the fire. It only took a couple of minutes for the cut wood to dry out, start fire, and my first Finnish candle started working, and how it worked!.... Laughter gave way to exclamations of surprise and approval, people immediately began to offer options with big amount cuts, up to eight
While former critics were extolling the simplicity and genius of this human invention, I cooked food for my fox terrier Bundy, and called out to the camp; “Hey, people, who needs a new stove?!”
It should be noted right away that the pot or kettle stands on the end quite securely and conveniently; putting dishes on and off the fire is also convenient. These are the advantages. The downside is that the dishes still get dirty
We remembered that we need to boil the crayfish while they are still alive
And now the main critic of my idea with the log - Viktor Lobachev - with undisguised pleasure he cooks lake crayfish for dinner on a Finnish candle
It seems that later our women also heated water on a candle for washing dishes. When it got colder, a candle that continued to burn was used for heating.
We’ve just run out of ideas on what else can be cooked on one log.
Already in Obninsk, they told me that one wonderful company has long been going to the forest in winter to make dumplings, having only one pre-prepared log. You don’t have to trample snow in search of firewood, or destroy trees in the forest near the city, but it’s light, hot and the whole company feels good around a big cauldron of dumplings
The more side slots, the more intense the supply of oxygen to the combustion zone, the stronger the flame and the shorter the life of the candle. The picture shows how big the flame is on the Finnish candle with 8 side cuts. One such Finnish candle replaces an entire fire. And pay attention that behind Dasha’s back there is a smoldering old fire that no one needs anymore - everyone has enough light and heat from one pine log
In the near future I will write a note about an Indian candle - a fire based on one log, but with a slightly different design
(updated April 4, 2018)A lot has been written about vertical fires, and as soon as they are called “Swedish fire”, “Finnish torch”, “ Indian candle" and all possible combinations of these words, plus everything is the same only with the adjective "taiga".
I decided to summarize their varieties and understand the pros and cons.
Kinds:
- Bonfire
- Torch
- Candle
A vertical fire is a fire in which the firewood is arranged vertically and acts both as fuel and as the walls of the firebox. Due to this design, good draft is formed in the fire. This makes the fire efficient and very voracious.
Another feature is that its upper part can be used as a burner for camping cooking.
Vertical campfire type "Bonfire"
(a fire is a fire)
This type of fire can be made from three logs. The logs must be the same size and have cuts perpendicular to the axis. Then they will stand steadily.
As they burn out, it is fashionable to move the logs towards the center in order to continue using it as a stove.
For efficient work This type of fire requires the flame to exit from above.
This can be achieved in three ways:
- do not move the logs too tightly so that the flame comes out in the spaces between them
- put two small logs or branches on the logs
- make special cuts in the logs
The main disadvantage of this fire is that the coals from the fire fall to the ground. This can lead to a fire or damage the surface on which the fire stands.
Vertical fire "Torch" type
(aka "Swedish torch" or "Finnish candle")
The most popular and promoted type of vertical fire. To make it, you need to take a long block of wood and make longitudinal cuts not along the entire length of the block.
Longitudinal cuts provide good draft and high combustion efficiency.
During the burning process, a longitudinal channel is formed inside the log, which provides higher fuel combustion efficiency than that of the “Koster” type design.
This design has many advantages:
- Easily made with a chainsaw
- high heat generation
- The dishes can be placed directly on the log, without creating additional cutouts or installing a wire rack
- the fire does not reach the ground and the “torch” can be placed on the lawn or paving slabs
It will not burn out naturally and must be disposed of somehow.
Experience using a torch
Vertical fire type "Candle"
(aka “Indian candle” or “taiga primus”)
This design is the most complex in manufacturing and use, but also the most powerful in terms of heat generation.
Technically, it's a jet stove.
To make it, you need to drill two channels in the block.
One is along the axis of the block, not the entire length.
The second is at the bottom of the first channel, from the edge to the center.
The advantages of this design are:
- high combustion efficiency
- very high combustion efficiency
- absence of coals outside, until the very last moment (in the Torch and Bonfire, the fire can escape along the entire length of the fire through the side gaps)
- the surface on which the “Candle” stands is not damaged
- unburned bottom (as in the case of the Torch)
- You need to install a grate on top or make cutouts so that the fire can be used for cooking.
Finnish/Swedish/Indian/taiga bonfires/torches/candles are almost not represented on the site.
There is only one dead topic - + several mentions in other topics.
