Welcome back to another episode of Explorations! How to make fire when it’s wet is the key focus in this video diary. Shoulder season camping in the spring is generally known to be quite a wet time of year and there are a few tips and tricks that will allow you to find dry firewood and get a roaring campfire going in, relatively speaking, a short amount of time.
Even if everything is sopping wet from a few days of rain, it is still possible to get a fire going. It will take some extra bit of time and some helpful tools, it is still possible. The key thing, here, is to practice, practice, practice! Without further adieu, the key tips and tricks!
- A Leatherman, or equivalent, knife to make wood shavings
- Axes and saws are good tools too
- Look for thicker logs. In the middle of the log will be some dry wood
- Rotten logs may still be OK. You’ll have to saw through the middle to check the integrity of it
- Shave wood from the (dry) middle of the thicker logs
- Collect shaves onto a bark of sorts and once lit, shove it under your pre- built camp fire
- Once the fire is going, dry the logs out by either building a firewall, or if really wet and thick, on top.
- A “log cabin” is the best balance of oxygen and fuel to keep a fire going
Quite frankly, he just uses fire starters and a Bic lighter. It’s small enough to carry around, doesn’t add weight, and can be shoved in your pockets. However, it is always good to know and practice emergency fire making.
In an emergency situation and you need to make a fire, make sure they tools you bring out to the woods, you have practiced with and are experienced with in using! Ian was practicing making fire with some unfamiliar tools and it took several failed attempts to almost start a fire. Candidly, was an eye-opener that he should also practice a good few more times with the tools he’s using.
Enjoy the video below!
If you enjoyed this video, check out a few more shoulder season camping and paddling!