Select A Site: How to Build a Fire

"Today, we’re going to talk about choosing a campfire location. What to look for is an area with not much duff on the ground, and you might have to clear it. Duff is organic material that is potentially flammable, so you want to clear away a site. If you find any roots, clear them away. Other things you want to look for are overhanging branches that can potentially catch fire. In the wintertime, you want to look for a snow load in the trees. There’s a famous Robert Frost story called “To Build a Fire”, it involves a man who lights a fire and his fire is extinguished by snow, and he ends up freezing to death. Other things you want to look for are a good source. You want to locate your fire on as flat of ground as possible in an area where you will feel comfortable standing or sitting around it. Being able to be comfortable near your fire is an important safety feature, and with fire safety is very important."