630 



Canadian Forestry Journal, July, ipi6. 



How to Build a Camp Fire 



The Camp Stove Best when Transportable — Stove 



Constructon for Permanent Camps — The 



Use of Fire Irons 



With the camping season due 

 there come the usual questions on 

 how to build camp fires. There are 

 several varieties, most of them 

 simple and effective and easily con- 

 structed even by a novice in camp- 

 ing. There must be considered not 

 only the kind of camp fire which 

 gives the best service but the kind 

 which is least dangerous. The man 

 who is careless with his camp fire 

 should not be allowed in the woods 

 for all too frequently he is respon- 

 sible for forest fires which do tre- 

 mendous damage. The Forest 

 Service has issued a hand book for 

 campers in which the following ex- 

 cellent instruction regarding camp 

 fires is given. 



Camp stoves should be taken 

 whenever they can be transported. 

 Thev are safer than open fires, 

 more convenient, require less fuel, 

 and do not blacken the cooking 

 utensils. Collapsible sheet-iron 

 stoves may be, obtained. 



In the absence of a stove an open 

 fire must be built. A safe and serv- 

 iceable fireplace can be made of 

 rocks placed in a small circle so as 

 to support the utensils. \Miere 

 . rocks are not obtainable, poles may 

 be used. 



For permanent camps it pays to 

 build a stone fireplace. One is 

 shown in the illustration. A piece 

 of sheet iron will prevent the black- 

 ening of the pans and makes a bet- 

 ter draft. 



For temporary camps the fire 

 should be built as follows : 



Dig a hole about a foot deep and 

 about three or four feet in diameter. 

 Sh<jvel awav the side toward the 



wind. Lay green poles across the 

 hole to support the pots and pans, 

 and build the fire underneath. 



Fire irons are often a great con- 

 venience. A piece of three-eighths- 

 inch round iron four feet long is 

 bent at right angles a foot from each 

 end and the ends are sharpened. 

 Two of these irons are placed side 

 bv side, the ends are driven into the 

 ground and the fire kindled beneath 

 them. Instead of being made in one 

 piece, the pegs and cross-bars may 

 be connected by rings in the ends. 

 They will then fold and be easier 

 to pack. 



Camp fires should never be larger 

 than necessary, and the utmost care 

 should be taken to prevent sparks 

 from being carried into the neigh- 

 boring forest. Clear away the lit- 

 ter for a considerable space about 

 the fire. And be sure to put the fire 

 out before you leave it. 



A shovel is nearly as important a 

 tool as an ax in camping. Do not 

 count on finding one along the way, 

 but put one in your outfit. 



During wet weather look for 

 kindling in burned sugar pine or 

 vellow-pine butts or in pine knots. 

 The under side of a leaning tree will 

 usuallv contain dry material. Dead 

 branches — of manzanita, etc. — that 

 have not vet fallen are drier than 

 those on the ground. Bark from fir 

 snags is excellent- fuel. 



\\'here matches are scarce or 

 when the weather is stormy, first 

 light a candle and kindle your fire 

 from that. 



Hints on fire protection are al- 

 wavs timelv and fit particularly well 

 ^vith these instructions about camp 

 fires. 



