Learn how to maintain an outdoor fire safely and effectively, including managing fuel, airflow, heat and fire size for warmth and cooking.
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 30–45 minutesLocation: Scout campsites and suitable outdoor fire areasBest for: Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and experienced Cubs under close supervisionSkills: Fire lighting, flint-and-steel technique, tinder preparation, fire safety and campcraft Flint-and-steel fire lighting works by striking hardened steel against a suitable piece of flint to create small sparks. Unlike a ferrocerium…
Activity Overview Difficulty: Easy–ModerateTime: 15–20 minutesLocation: Scout campsites and suitable outdoor activity areasBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Fire safety, ferrocerium rod handling, spark control, situational awareness and campcraft A ferrocerium rod is generally straightforward to use, but it produces very hot sparks capable of igniting dry materials. The main safety…
Activity Overview Difficulty: ModerateTime: 20–30 minutesLocation: Scout campsites and suitable outdoor fire areasBest for: Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Patrol Leaders and adult leadersSkills: Fire lighting, ferrocerium rod use, tinder preparation, fire safety and campcraft A ferrocerium rod, often called a ferro rod or fire steel, produces hot sparks when a suitable striker is drawn firmly across…
Cooking over a campfire is a useful outdoor skill, but a good cooking fire isn’t simply a large fire with lots of flames. The aim is to create and maintain a steady, controllable source of heat that suits the food, cookware and cooking method being used. A well-maintained cooking fire can make outdoor cooking much…
A good campfire doesn’t need to have huge flames to be effective. For many outdoor activities, the most useful fire is one that burns steadily and predictably, providing a consistent amount of heat without constantly flaring up, smoking or dying down. Keeping a campfire burning evenly is an important part of fire maintenance. It involves…
Adding wood to a campfire seems simple, but it is an important part of maintaining a fire safely. Adding too much fuel at once can make a fire suddenly grow, while placing wood badly can cause burning logs to roll or sparks to escape. Good fire management means adding suitable fuel gradually and paying attention…
A good campfire isn’t necessarily a large campfire. One of the most important parts of fire maintenance is keeping the fire at a suitable size for what you are trying to do. A fire that is too small may not provide enough heat, while a fire that is unnecessarily large can become difficult to manage…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST Never assume a campfire is completely extinguished just because you can’t see flames. Hot embers can remain hidden underneath ash and can sometimes reignite. If you’re finished with the fire, extinguish it properly rather than simply leaving it to go out. Only relight a fire if fires are permitted and conditions remain…
Keeping Your Fire Burning Lighting a fire is only the beginning. Once you’ve successfully built and lit a fire, you need to know how to keep it burning properly. This is where fire maintenance comes in. A well-maintained fire should provide the heat and light you need without becoming unnecessarily large, smoky or difficult to…
