Quest for Fire

Quest for Fire: Chantal Macartney

Rating****

Whether you are in the Canadian wilderness or arctic knowing how to build a fire is essential for survival.  

In this article, it explains all the different scenarios you may find yourself in and how to build a fire. The first step to building a good fire is the right location; not too close to your camp but also not close to trees, to prevent a disastrous blaze. But you also have to be carful of being too exposed to the wind or else your fire will be blown out. 

The article suggests pine cones as an easy and affordable fire starters. Because pine sap is so flammable, they will light quick and easy. It also states that cotton balls are also a good way to start a fire, and if you put a cotton ball in a leaf of a pine cone, you're sure to have a fire going in no time. But you also have to be careful of fires because you can cause harm to yourself others and nature. The article points out that you need to obey all fire bans and to not permit any young children to run around the fire. Another big rule is too never leave a fire unattended, because you will not believe how fast fire can spread.  

This article taught me many things about the art of fire building. As an example I learnt that pine trees are an essential in building fire's with only matches. They're essential because not  only do they supply pine cones, but pine wood itself is also a very good wood to have because it lights quickly and provides lots of  light. It also taught me that after you have a strong flame going, place hard wood on the fire because it burns for longer periods of time and keeps your fire going. I've built many fires in my life but none in the winter, but after reading this article I feel confident that I will be able to build and light a proper fire. To light a fire in the snow I will need to find dry wood, build or dig an area clear of snow so no water will drip on my fire, clear of wind so it doesn't blow out, away from trees so it doesn't light the trees on fire and I will need to keep it going. Because we all know that being on a hiking trip, canoe trip or winter camping with out a fire will be not be a very fun time.


      Macartney, Chantal. 'Quest For Fire'. Ottawa Outdoors 2015: 2. Web. 27 Feb. 2015.