5 Uses for Fire in the Wilderness

1.  Cooking 

A long-fire, combined with a pot suspension system, like an A-frame, can be used to cook a meal for a large group. Using a reflector oven or Dutch oven you can even bake in the backcountry!

2. Purifying Water

Water can be purified by boiling it for 60 seconds. A pot or metal water bottle can be used to boil water over a fire. Only use single-wall metal water bottles, not the insulated ones.

3. Heat/ Shelter 

Maintaining your core body temperature is a critical part of survival. Being able to start a fire when you are getting chilled or if your clothes are wet can keep you alive.

4. Signal Fire

When lost or injured, a fire can be used to locate you. Build a large fire, and once you have a good coal bed established add green boughs to generate smoke.  

5. Companionship

There is nothing more comforting at night in the woods than the light of a fire, especially when solo. Fire is in our DNA. Watching the flames dance & feeling its heat on our skin reminds us that we are human.