Fhfyrd here. Kearth let me jump in with thoughts about fire safety. What a great guy he is…even if he does say so himself. As I comment on fire safety, Kearth asked me to remind you of his previously mentioned WireFire (Wi-Fi) invention. There you go—consider yourself reminded.
I also want to note that when following the advice you are about to read, make sure an adult is nearby you and the fire, and paying attention. It is important, too, to make sure any fires you deal with are enclosed in a ring of rocks or some other safe barrier to keep the fire confined to a manageable space.
Ok now…let’s begin.
Fire safety is incredibly important. Period. (I’m not sure exactly why I have the word “Period” when I also put a period at the end of the statement, but suffice it to say that it is such an important topic that it cannot be emphasized enough.)
Let me state again…Fire safety is incredibly important.
Of course, you know that, but the thing is…sometimes we forget, or get distracted, or we get lazy.
Don’t be lazy. Make sure water is nearby before you start a camp fire or cooking fire—enough water to completely put out the fire at any time while it is starting up, burning fully, or dying down on its own. You must be prepared for anything when fire is in the general vicinity.
[Note: You may have heard that some people use dirt to put out a camp fire. If you are very experienced in starting and putting out fires then dirt may be utilized, but water is still the best answer, easier and quicker to use, and will be sure to extinguish a fire more completely when applied properly.]
As you put out a fire—standing near but not directly over it, so you are not scalded by rising steam—take note of the fire’s condition in different stages. At first, if there are still flames or burning hot coals (embers), there may be quite a lot of smoke or steam when water is poured on it. Unless there is an emergency, it is better to pour water slowly so as not to scatter burning wood or hot coals around. You will see some of the fire go out or coals changing from orange-red to black. That’s a good sign. You want all of the wood to be basically black or dark brown, and all of it wet. Keep pouring the water as the steam continues but lessens, and the flames disappear. You are making progress. Continue pouring water and eventually you will no longer see flames or steam or smoke…just wet wood. It is best to stir the coals slowly with a long stick to make sure there are no hot coals hiding beneath. If you spot any, hit them with water. There should be no signs of a fire and you should not feel any heat at all (at all!) coming from the coals.
It is vitally important to make sure you don’t walk away from a fire that could reignite. Now, I realize that “reignite” is not a word you may have heard or said much, but I hope you know what it means…basically it’s to start up again. Many fires—if not properly put out—can start up again if a breeze happens by. Don’t let that happen. It’s up to you.
In the end, you will have enjoyed a nice, toasty-warm fire, put it out properly, and you can rest assured that fire safety was followed.
Good job, you! Now go and tell your friends about fire safety…and maybe they’ll share a marshmallow with you.
