How To Build An Upside Down Fire

 Resources, Urban & Wilderness Survival

This past weekend The Bug Out Bag Guide Family hosted a barbecue for some close friends.  One of the highlights of this was testing out an alternative fire building method in our back patio firepit.  Instead of building a standard teepee or log cabin we decided to try building what is called an “upside down fire”.  We got some great, hassle-free results from this that we wanted to share with you.  As I always say, it is always good to add new techniques to your survival skills.  At the end of this article you will know how to build an upside down fire on your own!

CONTENTS [HIDE]

• Why build an upside down fire?
  • An upside down fire is self feeding
  • An upsidedown fire generates lots of coals
  • Where can I use an upside down fire?
  • Can I build an upside down fire in a fireplace?
• How to make an upside down fire
  • Step 1: Clear your fire pit
  • Step 2: Lay down the base logs
  • Step 3: Thicker Fuel Layer
  • Step 4: Smaller Fuel Layer
  • Step 5: Kindling
  • Step 6: Tinder
  • Step 7: Light And Enjoy!
• Your Turn!

Why build an upside down fire?

Over many years of camping I have built hundreds of fires.  These were mostly of the teepee and log cabin variety, with some lean-to fires mixed in as the situation required.  These fire building methods have served me well and I have enjoyed many a meal and evening sitting around their warm glow.

I was excited to learn about a new method of fire building and try it out for myself.  What I learned from my test run, is that there are several advantages that an upside down fire brings to the table.

Here is one I built at home

An upside down fire is self feeding

An upside down fire is built in a layered fashion starting with tinder at the top and increasing in size all the way to large logs at its base.  One of the biggest advantages of using this fire building method is that as a layer burns it progressively ignites the larger layer below it.  The tinder lights the kindling, which ignites the fuel wood, which in turn lights the logs.  In other words, once an upside down fire is lit it will burn by itself for hours.  There is no need to baby sit it and keep adding wood over time!  You can light your upside down fire and then focus on other tasks like setting up camp, preparing food, or just relaxing with your fellow campers.

While traditional fires (teepee and log cabin) do progressively ignite successive layers (if properly built!) they tend to do this over a shorter period of time and require that a fire tender monitors the burn rate and add more fuel and eventually place logs onto the fire.  The genius of an upside down fire is that it frees you from this chore!

Being self feeding makes an upside down fire an excellent choice if you want to keep a heat source burning through a long, cold night.  As it is self feeding you will be able to build it before bed, light it, and then keep warm without having to climb out of your sleeping bag or shelter.

Here is that same fire after 10 minutes

An upsidedown fire generates lots of coals

As an upside down fire burns it creates a large supply of coals from the logs integrated into the base of the design.  These logs are lit as the flame consumes the fuel wood and transfers heat down to this base layer.  These coals are excellent for most cooking purposes.  With a good bed of coal you can:

• cook foil packets
• heat up a dutch oven
• barbecue meat, fish, or vegetables
• and much, much more…

With a traditional fire you would need to set up your teepee or log cabin and as they got burning need to continually feed it larger and larger logs to get a nice bed of coals going.  The upside down fire does this automatically with the same amount of wood but far less active management.  Set it up, go get your food ready and then come back to a nice bed of cooking coals!

…And again after 40 minutes

Where can I use an upside down fire?

An upside down fire can be used pretty much anywhere you would build a traditional fire.  It can be a great option for many applications:

• Survival cooking
• Camping
• Bonfire
• Barbecue
• Wood Stove
• In home fireplace
• Rubbish disposal

Can I build an upside down fire in a fireplace?

Yes!  People often build them in fireplaces or woodstoves for the same reasons why they are used outdoors.  Wood stove enthusiasts actually favor the upside down fire building method as it tends to heat up the chimney pipe faster than a traditional fire and by doing so increases the stove’s efficiency.

…And finally, the same fire after an hour burning without my intervention!

How to make an upside down fire

Here is a step by step guide for building your own upside down fire.  Follow the written instructions and refer to the pictures if you run into any trouble.

Step 1: Clear your fire pit

You are going to lay your base layer of logs down in the next step so you will want your pit clear of debris and as level as possible so the fire you build will not topple over as you build it up.

Clear your fire pit out

Step 2: Lay down the base logs

You are going to build your base layer first.  This means use the largest logs you intend to burn and lay them down parallel to each other.  Have the logs all touching each other so there are no gaps between them and it is best if the tops of them are relatively level with each other so you will have a nice sturdy base to build the rest of your fire upon.

Lay down your base logs

Step 3: Thicker Fuel Layer

You are going to use large fuel wood for this layer, larger than your thumb.  Remember, this layer has to be large enough to generate enough coals and heat to ignite the logs below it.  Lay this wood in the opposite direction to the logs below it and allow space between each piece for air to flow.  Feel free to build 1-3 layers of this sized wood if you have enough and if you have organized your wood build each layer upwards out of slightly smaller thickness pieces.  Each layer should be laid down crosswise (perpendicular) on top of the layer below, similar to the method used when building a log cabin.

Add on your fuel wood

Step 4: Smaller Fuel Layer

You are going to repeat the process used in step 3 here but using smaller fuel wood, preferably smaller than your thumb in thickness.  Once again build 1-3 layers of small fuel wood up with each being perpendicular to the last layer and slightly smaller thickness.  You should have a small tower of wood now with the thickness of pieces used getting gradually smaller as you get nearer to the top.

And now your smaller fuel wood

Step 5: Kindling

Now you are going to start adding on the smaller wood that you have, kindling that is thinner than your pinky.  Add 3-5 layers of this if you have enough to do so.  By the time you get to the top layer the wood should be of the smallest thickness you have, no bigger than a twig.  Stick to the same method of laying each layer down crosswise across the layer below it to allow proper air flow.

Get your kindling on there next

And the small twigs on top

Step 6: Tinder

Choosing and adding your tinder is a crucial last step.  You need something that is small enough to be ignited with your match, lighter, or firestarter but that will burn long and hot enough to get your kindling to start burning.  Place this tinder on top of your kindling.  Here are some suggestions for kindling that have worked well for me in the past:

• Dryer lint
• Birch bark
• Paper
• Cardboard
• Commercially available firestarters
• Cotton balls soaked in vaseline
• Bird’s nests
• Dry Grass
• Coconut husks
• Pine needles
• Punk wood
• Cattail fluff

Finally place your tinder at the very top

Step 7: Light And Enjoy!

Shelter your match and tinder from any wind (If you are lighting your fire with an EverStryke Match, you don’t need to worry about this) and get that fire started.  Depending on what tinder you chose you may need to blow gently to get the tinder going.  As the fire burns each layer that you built should ignite the next one down all the way to your base layer of logs.  In my testing an upside down fire built as I have described should burn for well over an hour and result in a large layer of coals all ready to cook your meal.  Enjoy!

Your upside down fire is ready to light and enjoy!

Your Turn!

So, now you know how you build your own upside down fire.  I encourage you to give it a try next time you are camping or setting up a backyard bonfire.  It is a great tool to add to any fire building arsenal and I think you will be impressed with the results.

Source: https://www.thebugoutbagguide.com/upside-down-fire/

How to Choose Wood for Campfires

by Ben Trewren 

Believe it or not, the secret to good campfire cooking doesn’t start with great equipment or secret recipes, but simply, with your ability to build a good campfire. So, let’s chat about choosing campfire wood a bit more…

What makes good firewood?

The drier, the better! Scientifically speaking, wood is full of small tubes that transport water from the roots into the trunk and then into the branches. These tubes can hold water for weeks, sometimes months after the wood has been cut.

If the wood is still full of moisture, it won’t burn to its full potential. Energy from the fire will have to refocus on drying the wood first which is wasteful, and the smoke and fumes from green wood is a stronger pollutant.

The right wood = hot coals ready for some serious campfire cooking. Image: Ben Trewren. 

Looking for Natural Firewood

Whenever you’re looking for firewood in Australia, it’s going to depend ultimately on what is available in your local area. The key is to get your hands on firewood that is not only dry but dense.

Wood available state to state

Across Australia, Jarrah and Wandoo are the species of choice in Western Australia. In Tasmania, Brown Peppermint is considered the best, and in Queensland, Ironbark and Box are the preferred choices. The most popular though is River Red Gum which is the easiest to find in South Australia, Victoria and southern NSW.

Knowing the available species is only a small part of the adventure, as selection also depends on what you are using the wood for, as each species has its own burning rate, flame, coal and ash generation.

For example, River Red Gum is an excellent slow burner, but it doesn’t burn with a lot of flame, so it’s more optimal for cooking. Some species such as Turpentine and White Stringybark don’t produce a lot of flame – so they’re more suited to a wood oven for example.

Test what works for you

Finding firewood that’s perfect for your needs can often be challenging – but never impossible! My recommendation is to try and test locally available firewood to see what works best for you. Alternatively, you could research what species are available in your area of adventure and then use resources such as this one to determine its suitability as firewood.

Also, make sure you do research so you can be certain that you can collect wood in that area – that way you know you’re not disturbing native vegetation or wildlife habitat.

A nice selection of wood ready for a campfire. Image: Ben Trewren. 

Purchasing Man-Made Firewood

New to the firewood market is the introduction of man-made firewood called Eco-Logs. Basically, Eco-logs are manufactured from sawdust and shavings that have been mechanically compressed to form a solid log.

By utilising waste material, man-made fire logs help to reduce unnecessary felling of plantation timber and the destruction of habitat for Australian fauna.

There are several benefits of Eco-Logs over natural firewood. Firstly, they can be safely used as a concentrated fuel source, and they contain less than 10% moisture which results in more heat on a weight-for-weight basis.

Man-made firewood is also very dense, which means you burn fewer logs to achieve the same output, and lastly, their compact size makes them easier to store and transport.

The concerns with Eco-Logs compared to natural firewood is that they come with a cost, you need to transport them to and from the supplier, and they don’t develop significantly hot coals.

Man-made firewood is an environmentally friendly and space saving option for campers. Image: Ekologs.

How to Select Firewood

Having decided that natural firewood is what you’re after, here are the best tips I can offer when selecting firewood:

• Try and pick (or chop) wood to size so logs easily fit within the fireplace.
• Look for dark to grey coloured wood – this signifies that the wood is older and drier.
• Get a feel for the weight of the wood. Ideally, the wood should feel light which means little to no water.
• Knock logs together for a hollow sound and look for wood with cracked ends – this means the wood is dry!
• Select wood with the bark missing or pulling off. Bark needs moisture to adhere to the wood, this is also a good indication that it’s dry.

Safety first! Make sure you know what you’re doing when cutting up firewood. Image: Ozpig Australia.

Cutting Wood

I just want to mention another safety note when sourcing firewood. If you plan on cutting fallen trees and/or chopping up your own firewood, ensure that you are familiar with how to use a chainsaw, wedge, sledgehammer or whatever else your tool of choice might be.

These tools can become dangerous if not used correctly, and inattention can mean a nasty premature end to what should be a fantastic camping trip.

Can I use Railway Sleepers?

Right across Australia, there are many abandoned railway tracks. Many seeing the sleepers as an opportunity for easy, free and large quantities of firewood. However, it’s important to realise that railway sleepers will likely be contaminated by grease, oil, herbicides and/or heavy metals.

The fumes given off when these products are burned can be toxic. Because of this, I’d recommend avoiding this type of wood for campfires.

So, now that you’ve got the basics for selecting wood down pat, you’re next campfire is sure to be a roaring success!

Source: https://www.snowys.com.au/blog/how-to-choose-wood-for-campfires/

HOW TO START A CAMPFIRE IN THE RAIN

Huddling up around a campfire with a few close friends on a cool, clear evening is one of the few parts of a camping trip that borders downright luxurious. Though a good campfire may feel like a luxury in the best of circumstances, in the worst it's an absolute necessity. One of the great ironies of camping is that those times when you most need a good fire -- when conditions are cold, damp, and windy -- are the same times that one is most difficult to start. Additionally, the ability to start a fire in adverse conditions is a camping skill that many campers neglect until it's too late.


If you're a camper that doesn't already have a plan to get your fire started when conditions are less than ideal, read on and we'll teach you how to start a fire in the rain.

HOW TO START A FIRE IN THE RAIN - RULE #1: LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

The most basic -- and one of the most frequently overlooked -- elements of successfully building a fire in wet or otherwise difficult conditions is to carefully consider exactly where you'll be building it. A good location for your fire will make both building and maintaining it much easier, and will ensure that you don't waste a ton of time and energy on a project that was doomed from the outset. The most ideal location for your campfire will provide protection from wind, rain, and groundwater, any one of which can derail your fire-starting project if you haven't found an appropriately dry and windless spot.
In order to shield your fire from wind, try to build it on the downwind side of a hill and immediately downwind from large obstacles, like rock formations. If no natural windbreaks are available, you can create your own with with a tarp and a few sharpened sticks, sort of like a miniature fence. Keep in mind that sheltering your fire on the upwind side may not be enough, as more forceful winds will often make their way around the sides of the windbreak, still interfering with your fire. To combat this, create a C-shaped windbreak around your fire with the opening on the downwind side.
Sheltering your fire from falling rain is probably the most difficult requirement for a good campfire location, as you'll have to find a way to do so while also allowing the smoke generated by the fire to escape. Large evergreen trees tend to form a good shelter for fire building, as their shape forms a sort of natural roof. The shape of trees like pines and spruces will direct water outward and away from your fire while still allowing smoke to escape. In order to use one as a shelter, crawl underneath its lowest branches (You can cut a few off if necessary, but make sure that the extremities of the lowest branches still touch the ground below. Of course, building a fire underneath a live tree is inherently risky, but a well-constructed and controlled fire shouldn't provide a serious risk in rainy conditions. Just take all the precautions you normally would, like removing all potentially flammable debris from the ground around the fire and ensuring that there are no low-hanging branches directly above the fire.
Protecting your fire from groundwater is probably the easiest of these three requirements to fulfill. Simply build a fire pit with rocks filling the center, instead of just forming a ring around the edges. This will separate your lowest coals from the wet ground below, and allow more air to reach them, helping your fire to burn effectively.

HOW TO START A FIRE IN THE RAIN - RULE #2: FUEL FOR THE FIRE

Now that you've found and prepared a location for your fire, you'll need to find some tinder and kindling to get it started, and some fuel to burn once you get it going. The tinder will need to be something that ignites easily, while the kindling will be small pieces of wood that you can easily light with the tinder. The fuel will be the larger pieces of wood that will become the coals of your fire.
You should always carry along tinder on your own camping trips, just in case there's no dry brush or other readily combustible materials nearby. Two of the best forms of tinder for starting a fire in the rain are easily made at home, and won't take up too much space in your pack: Paraffin wax melted into dryer lint or, alternatively, cotton balls soaked with petroleum jelly are both easy to ignite, and will both burn for at least a couple minutes -- long enough for you to ignite your kindling.
Dry kindling shouldn't be too difficult to find even in wet conditions, as long as you know where to look. If you've found a large evergreen tree under which to build your fire, there's a good chance you'll find some kindling there, too. Just look for small, dead branches in the dry area underneath the tree to get your fire started. If you can't find enough kindling there, try looking underneath dead or uprooted trees. While the tops may be wet from the rain, there's a good chance you'll find some dry wood that's suitable for a fire inside or underneath them.
Try looking in the same places that you did for kindling to find larger pieces of wood for fuel. These won't be quite as readily available as kindling, but they also won't need to be quite as dry, since the heat from your kindling will cause some of the moisture to evaporate.

HOW TO START A FIRE IN THE RAIN - RULE #3: LIGHT IT UP

Now that you've found the appropriate location and materials, it's time to get that fire going. As one of the 'Ten Essentials,' you should have a firestarter in your bag, whether it's a lighter, matches, or a ferro-flint rod, or whatever else you choose to us. If you don't currently carry one of these, you should. And -- as always -- make sure to clean up after yourself and ensure that the fire is completely extinguished before leaving the area.

 Source: https://www.eurekacamping.com/blog/article/how-start-campfire-rain

Finding or Building a Fire Ring

Campgrounds: Build fires only in designated fire rings, grills or fireplaces. Most developed campgrounds have some version of these. Using a fire ring will lesson your impact and keep your fire contained.

Always check with the campground operator to make sure fires are permitted. In some areas, severe dry periods can cause campfires to be prohibited even in campgrounds.

If you’re car camping in an undeveloped site, check in advance with the agency that administers the land (U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, etc.). A campfire permit may be required.

Evaluate the site before starting a fire. If the site is brushy or has low-hanging branches, keep your fire small or skip it altogether. In dry conditions, fly-away embers could easily ignite a wildfire.

Backcountry: In backcountry areas where fires are permitted, use an existing fire ring if one has been left behind. Build a new one only in emergency situations and, if the situation permits, dismantle it when you are done. If one already exists, clean it out before you depart.

Clear away all flammable material from your fire pit. Ideally, the base of your fire should be sand or gravel or mineral soil (often found in streambeds or on gravel bars). Intense heat can sterlize healthy soil, so choose your site conscientiously.

An alternative to a fire ring is a mound fire. Using your sanitation trowel, build a circular, flat platform of mineral soil (sandy, light-colored, nonfertile dirt) about 6-8 inches high. Use this as the base for your fire. Ideally, build this platform on a flat rock. You can easily disperse the mound when you're finished.

Gathering Fire Wood

To burn a successful fire, you’ll need three types fuel: tinder, kindling and firewood.

• Tinder includes small twigs, dry leaves, needles or forest duff.
• Kindling consists of small sticks, typically less than one inch around.
• Firewood is any larger piece of wood and is what will keep your fire going long into the night.

Campgrounds: Use only local firewood. Nearby stores often carry firewood, and sometimes campground hosts offer bundles of firewood or kindling for sale.

Do not bring wood with you if you’re traveling from more than 50 miles away. Campgrounds may even ban bring-your-own firewood regardless of the distance you travel. Why? To avoid introducing troublesome insects into a forest.

Call the campground or a local ranger office in advance for information and advice.

Backcountry: If you forage for firewood, gather only downed wood far from your site. Never cut live trees or break off branches from standing trees, even dead trees. Birds and wildlife make use of dead branches and snags.

Do not gather or burn pieces thicker than an adult's wrist. This is because thick chunks of wood are rarely allowed to burn completely and are typically left behind as blackened, unsightly scraps.

Remember to follow Leave No Trace principles when gathering wood. 

Building a Campfire

Kindling and firewood can be assembled in a number of different ways. Popular styles include the teepee, log cabin and upside-down (or pyramid).

Teepee: Start with a small cone of kindling around a few handfuls of tinder that are loosely piled in the center of the fire ring. Once the fire is going strong and the temperature increases, you can add larger logs a few at a time as needed.

Log cabin: Place two larger pieces of firewood parrallel to each other and with some room in between to form the base of your structure. Then, turn 90 degrees and place two slightly smaller pieces on top and perpendicular to form a square. Place plenty of tinder inside the square. Continue adding a few more layers of firewood around the perimeter, getting a little bit smaller with each layer. Finish with a layer of kindling and tinder across the top. Remember to leave space between logs so the fire can get plenty of oxygen.

Upside down (pyramid): Start with three or four of your largest logs side-by-side on the bottom layer. Turn 90 degrees and then add a second layer of slightly smaller logs on top. Continue alternating a few more layers in this manner, getting smaller as you go. Place your kindling and tinder on top.

Lighting a Campfire

Light the tinder with a match or lighter. Using fire starter that is designed to easily ignite can help the tinder catch the flame. (Be sure to carry waterproof matches and firestarter. Fire-making materials are considered one of the Ten Essentials.)

After lighting the tinder, blow lightly at the base of the fire to provide oxygen, which will help increase the intensity of the flame and further ignite the wood.

As the fire burns, move embers to the center to burn them completely. Ideally, you should reduce them to white ash.

Shop REI’s selection of fire-starting gear.

Extinguishing Your Campfire

Extinguish all fires by pouring water on them, stirring the ashes, then applying more water. Repeat as often as needed. Ashes should be cool to the touch before you leave the site. Be utterly certain a fire and its embers are out and cold before you depart.

Never leave a campfire unattended!

Cleaning up Your Campfire

Burn trash items only if they can be fully consumed by fire and turned to ash. Do not attempt to burn plastic, cans or foil. If you do burn something that's not fully consumed, collect the remains when the fire is out and either pack it out or put it in a trash receptacle.

When you’re in the backcountry, pack out any trash found in your pit. Extract any charcoal pieces left inside your ring, carry them away from your site, crush the chunks, then scatter the remnants and dust throughout a broad area. Dismantle any structure you might have built.

Source: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/campfire-basics.html

How to Start a Fire With Different Types of Kindling

Fire is essential for survival, cooking and warmth. Usually a fire is started with thin or split wood kindling but there are many other kinds of tinder and kindling that can be used if you're in a scrape and cannot locate any small wood.

Find tinder. Kindling tends to be the material used to let larger wood really catch, while tinder is small shavings or shreds of material that will burn hot quickly and starts the kindling burning. Kindling is larger than tinder. Examples of tinder include dry grass, dry bark and down from birds. Once the tinder is burning, you can slowly add the kindling, unless you've already arranged it in a style such as a lean-to or tip over the tinder (see below for links to building the fire). However, there is a fine line between what can be used as tinder and what can be used as kindling––sometimes certain material can be used for both purposes. Some ideas for tinder (some of which might also be useful as kindling) include:

• Use lint. Pack a toilet paper roll with dryer lint. When you're ready for a fire, pile wood around the lint roll. Light the center of the cardboard roll (exterior) and it'll catch fire and burn outwards, catching on the piled wood as it burns. The beauty of this is that it's making use of items around the house and it doesn't weigh much in your pack. Also note that if you have several of these, they can serve as kindling as well as tinder.
• Use pine needles. Use pine needles or pinecones to start a fire. Select only dry needles, not green ones, as these won't take as easily. Pile onto the fire in little lots rather than everywhere or it risks smothering the flame.
• Save and dry small pieces of tree bark. Bark catches fire quickly and will maintain embers for a long time.
• Use dry debris. Use dry debris from your yard, such as twigs, leaves, and moss to start a fire. Ensure that there isn't too much soil in what you've gathered, as it can prevent fire from lighting.

1. Find a substitute for kindling. Normally you'd look for dry wood, such as tree limbs, tree twigs and branches, or split wood if at an organized campsite. However, this isn't always possible, so the following ideas are presented to help you in a pinch.
2. Use your favorite potato chips as a fire starter. If you have a bag of potato chips handy, they can function as a fire-starter due to the fat content of the chips. Light a chip with a lighter or a match and it will burn for approximately 3 minutes. Add the lit chip to a pile of chips on the campfire you've set up (see below for making a fire). While the chip kindling is burning, place light, dry wood on top to catch alight over the burning chips.
3. 
   

   
   
   
   Use newspaper. Roll five dry newspapers into a tight tube, tie the tube into a knot, and light the knot on fire. The tight paper will burn slowly, allowing more time for the wood to catch fire.
   

   • Tying the paper into a knot will prevent the layers from moving around when lit.
4. 
   

   
   
   
   Use pine cones. Pine cones are quick to catch fire over tinder (such as pine needles). As well as being suitable kindling, they give off a great aroma.
5. 
   

   
   
   
   Make the fire. Once you've assembled the tinder and kindling, you'll need to make a decision as to how to build the fire. There are quite a few ways to build a fire, each having its own utility dependent on where you are, the temperature and weather and the terrain, etc. Here are some articles to follow on to, which will explain how to make a fire successfully:
   

   • How to build a campfire
   • How to start a fire with sticks or How to start a fire with a magnifying glass
   • How to make a fire to survive.
6. 
   

   
   7
   Enjoy a night under the stars next to the warmth of your new fire. Keep the fire well stoked by adding new fuel regularly throughout the time of the fire's use.
   

   • If the fire goes out, sometimes you can restart it simply be shifting around the coals and throwing on some more kindling to catch fire to the existing hot logs on the campfire.
   • Wet wood can be dried out next to a fire; sometimes you'll have no choice.

   https://www.wikihow.com/index.php?title=Start-a-Fire-With-Different-Types-of-Kindling&action=edit