Learn essential outdoor fire and heat skills, including campfires, stoves, fire lays, lighting and maintaining fires, fire safety and staying warm.
Choosing where to have a campfire is one of the most important fire-safety decisions you can make. A well-managed fire in a suitable location is much easier to control than a fire built too close to tents, trees, dry vegetation or other hazards. For Scouts, learning how to assess a potential fire site is an…
The teepee fire lay is one of the simplest and most recognisable ways to arrange tinder, kindling and fuel when preparing a fire. It gets its name from its shape. Smaller pieces of wood are arranged around the tinder to create a roughly cone-shaped structure, similar to a traditional teepee. For Scouts learning about fire…
There are several different ways to arrange wood when building a fire, and each arrangement is known as a fire lay. The design you choose can affect how easily a fire lights, how quickly it develops, how much heat it produces and how long it continues to burn. For Scouts, learning different fire lays is…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST Fire activities should only take place with appropriate adult supervision, suitable facilities, permission and a completed risk assessment. Follow your organisation’s current fire-safety guidance and any restrictions applying to the site. Keep suitable extinguishing equipment immediately available and never leave a fire unattended. The objective of advanced fire lighting is better judgement…
⚠️ 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…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST Never compromise fire safety just because you are struggling to light a fire. Only light fires where they are permitted, use an appropriate fire area, keep water or another suitable means of extinguishing the fire nearby, and follow local rules and landowner requirements. If conditions are unsafe — particularly during very dry,…
Affiliate disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. ⚠️ SAFETY FIRST Wet clothing can become dangerous in cold, windy or exposed conditions. Water conducts heat away from the body much faster than dry air, and wind can…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST Kindling is designed to catch fire relatively easily, so it should always be handled with care. Only light fires where they are permitted and where conditions are suitable. Keep flammable materials away from unintended ignition sources, never leave a fire unattended, and make sure you have a safe way to extinguish it…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST Tinder is designed to catch fire easily, which also means it can ignite very quickly and unexpectedly. Only practise fire lighting where fires are permitted and under appropriate supervision. Keep flammable materials away from unintended sources of ignition and always have a safe way to extinguish a fire. Never collect or burn…
⚠️ SAFETY FIRST Fire can be useful outdoors, but it can also cause serious burns, wildfires and environmental damage. Only light fires where they are permitted and where it is safe to do so. Follow local rules, campsite instructions and any fire restrictions. Keep fires small and controlled, have suitable means of extinguishing them available,…
