Where we live many know that making a fire is a skill that means life or death. Most of us are taught from early years how to plan and execute a camp fire. It’s so natural to us that we forget that others don’t have that kind of knowledge.
But why do we think everyone should know it? Here are five reasons why you should know how to make a fire:
- It will save your life
- Cooking gets easier
- A fire provides heat
- You will feel invincible
- Pass the knowledge
We will consider every reason by itself starting with number one:
1 – It will save your life
Seriously. If there is one thing I want you to take from this post, it’s to remember that this is about your life. If you’re outdoor ready to enjoy nature, you’ll be forced to one way or another make sure that you have heat, means to cook and in some cases keep unwanted company away.
Setting up a camp most of the time means finding somewhere fairly protected to sleep, then have somewhere to heat yourself, cook food and enjoy the comfort of knowing that nature is a friend. Having the know-how makes it easier to truly enjoy the great outdoors, not having to be afraid or feel vulnerable.
2 – Cooking gets easier
It’s not always the easiest way of cooking but it is by far the cosiest. Sometimes it takes longer than pulling out your camp kitchen, but it has the added benefits of keeping you toasty as well.
3 – A fire provides heat
I know, I know, it’s a no-brainer. And yet, it’s such an important post. And remember, it’s not only the fire itself that provides the heat. Collecting firewood, creating a safe pit and preparing the fire will keep you warm as well.
The wood heats three times, when you chop it, when you carry it inside and when you make a fire.
Old Swedish saying
As true as this is, I would say that it’s actually a few times more when you also have to collect the wood and stack it by the camp site. And no, you won’t be carrying anything in. Please, no fires in the tent. Except if you have a stove, then I’ll give you my permission. Yeah.
4 – You will feel invincible
This is a very important part of it all. I touched it a bit in the first reason and I’ll describe it more here.
Knowing how to enjoy the nature around you will make you feel like you can do whatever. You know how to find your way, you know how to find a nice place to camp, you know where you can find water and you know how to make a fire. It’s kind of part of it all. And the key is to never be afraid. If you are afraid you’ll never be able to see what you came to see or learn what you wanted to learn.
So being able to get warm and to cook will make you feel like you can do anything. If you were to fall into cold water, or if you got surprised by a storm you would still be able to get warm and have something warm to either drink or eat. Just drinking warm water can make a huge difference. Or Kokkaffe. It’s the best.
5 – Pass the knowledge
So the last point. After reviewing these four posts above, I hope you’ve got the feeling that making a fire is one of the most important things you can know. You never know when you’ll have to use this skill. It’s also great for campfires at the beach with some friends and a guitar or two. And making S’mores!
Most importantly, we should be able to pass this information on to others, whether it’s coming generations or friends that want to know more about living in a more natural way.
Conclusion
Make sure you know how to survive. It contains cooking, heating and feeling invincible. This is easiest achieved by knowing how to make a fire.
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