Daniel VanRenselaar & Jim LaJoie

WHY PRIMITIVE FIRE?

It WILL save your life…

…That’s why.

HOW?Heat WaterCookAnimalsMorale

HEATEven in the desert, nighttime temperatures can drop low enough to send you into hypothermia and kill you.

WATERWithout water you have three days before you die…if you do nothing but lie around.Drinking contaminated water can kill you in less than 24 hours.Being able to boil water will enable you to safely rehydrate yourself.Hot water can also be used to sterilize tools, utensils, and to clean your body.

COOKMany readily available plant food sources are inedible or even toxic until cooked.Wild meat should always be cooked to prevent infection from parasites and poisoning from bacteria and viruses.Excess meat can be smoked and eaten up to two weeks later.

ANIMALSMost wild animals are driven away by the smell of smoke as it is a natural instinct to flee. Insects included.Nocturnal animals are nearly blinded by open flames. Keeping a fire between you and them is usually enough to discourage all but the hungriest of predators.

MORALECreature comforts like warmth and light are a great morale booster, even when it is not cold.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Ok, so we know why we should be able to make fire, but why primitive fire? Why not just bring matches and lighters?

SHTF. This prepper fav can take many different forms. Natural disasters on a global scale. Zombie outbreak. Nuclear war. Space invasion… whatever the cause, lets assume two things. One. Industry is not what it used to be. Two. You either don’t want to be found, or there is no one to find you. Your matches will all burn out. Your lighters will all dry up. Now what do you do?

METHODS… WEIGHING THE OPTIONS

Drill and pumpHand drillBow drillFire ploughFire sawFire stickFlint and steelFire piston

DRILLSHand drill Requires very little

material, all can be found.Requires a great deal of stamina and patience.

Bow and drill Requires little material.

Requires either having cordage or the knowledge and patience to make it.

Drill and pump Reliable, less effort

required.Only select materials will work.

PLOUGH AND SAWFire plough Very simple. Readily

made.Requires patience.

Fire Saw Very simple. Readily

made.Requires patience.

METAL IGNITIONFire stick Quick, long lasting,

reliable even when wet.Finite number of strikes. Quality strikers can be expensive.

Flint and Steel Long lasting reliable

ignition.Finite number of strikes. Can be scarce or nonexistent in certain areas.

PNEUMATIC IGNITIONFire Piston Fast, reliable, readily

available fuel in all geographic environments. Requires either the knowledge to construct one, or the preparedness to have brought one.

NOW THAT WE CAN CREATE AN EMBER, HOW DO WE KEEP A FIRE BURNING?

Built upTepeeLean-toLog cabinPyramid

CompactedSwedish torchSwiss cross

DugCross ditchSnake holeDakota pitYukon stove

Every fire building method has it merits and disadvantages. A keen awareness of your current situation is essential to preparing the most effective fire for your specific needs.

BUILT UP FIRESGreat if you have considerable time and resources available.Hot burn.Large long lasting coal bed.Excellent signaling capability.

Large profile. Do not use in situations requiring light discipline.Inefficient use of hard to obtain fuel.

TEPEE AND LEAN-TO

LOG CABIN AND PYRAMID

COMPACTEDLong lasting slow burn. Minimal material required.Provides stable cooking surface.Portable.

Minimal warming potential.Little light.

SWEDISH TORCH AND SWISS CROSS

DUGHighly efficient.Superior cooking fire.Easily doused.Safely contained.Directional heat.Contained light and smoke signature.

Considerable preparation.

SNAKE HOLE AND DAKOTA PIT

YUKON STOVE AND CROSS DITCH