I was looking for some inspiration today so I picked up one of my books.
http://www.amazon.com/Wildfire-fire-.../dp/0972683917
A lot of this post will come from this book. I was going to read the part about the fire spirit but for some reason I stopped thumbing at the chapter "Sustaining Fire".
coincidentally, I was jamming some Norma Jean and the song came on "A Small Spark vs. A Great Forest"
Both mention the same bible verse, take that as you will, but it is James 3: 5,6:
Inspired yet?Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a tiny spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It can corrupt a whole body, setting the whole course of a life on fire...itself set on fire by hell.
From the book:
......Creating a safe hearth with emergency awareness and first response convenient has become a more meaningful lesson every time I'm tending a fire around more youthful or inexperienced individuals. Knowing what fuel to gather (avoid poisonous plants!) for light, heat, or longevity is an important thing. Botany is such a necessary knowledge for the fire-maker.
...Perhaps you'd like to explore some of the uses of the fire discussed thus far? That means, of course, you must understand the needs of your fire. First, please control your fire. Be respectful and mindful of the embodiment of Gaia. ...
... Always treat fire with respect. If you ignore it, it will either go out, or go out of control. Either is a very bad thing. You need to figure this out, clearly and decisively, okay? Do not mistreat fire, Do not misuse fire.
So, I'm not the best with searching old posts to see if it's covered, I tried, and failed miserably and I didn't see it covered in-depth, like it should be on any survival database. So I'm bringing up the topic now, and I would like this to be serious discussion about fire tending.
Many of the indigenous peoples in this area were a people of one fire. They would walk for as many as 18 days once a year to a "temple city" where fire was built by the holiest holy-man with sacred blessed tools which were destroyed by the single fire it created. A great fire was set ablaze on the hills and the representative from each tribe would get a coal and would set off back home.
They could build as many fires from that one coal as they needed, and would have to keep that single fire lit all year long. They devised coal extenders so that a hot coal would be carried all day long in a sort of "cigar". at camp they would make fire with that coal, cook, warm up, eat, etc. and preserve the fire at all times.
Among the natives in this area, the fire-tenders were some of the most highly regarded in the village. Fire tending is a very important responsibility and they knew it. The fire tender did not hunt, or fish, or gather wood, or forage. Their time was dedicated to making sure the fire was contained and controlled... TENDED.
Whether you use sticks, or flint and steel, or a bic. If you start a fire, IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP IT UNDER CONTROL. If there is something else requiring your attention, select a dependable, responsible person to fill in for you. Never leave a burning fire unattended.
If you are going to build a fire, you need to clear a LARGE area around the fire of debris. If it will burn it's gotta get away from the fire, or be in it. You need to have on hand a good way to put out the fire if it does get out of control anyway. And for petes sake, don't build a bonfire when the wind is 20mph out there...
One of the boat landings was set on fire a few years back by a cigarette thrown out the window. It only takes a small coal to start a fire with sufficient air flow, and good tinder, like pine needles. If you've ever started a fire with sticks or flint and steel, you know that every one of them starts as a tiny spark, the equivalent of a few atoms splitting and releasing their energy as a bright flash and heat. If you've ever blown a friction fire into a tinder bundle and started a campfire, then you know it only takes a gentle breeze to go from an ember the size of a speck of dust, to a huge hand sized ball of fire and it only takes seconds...
I know Rick posted some diagrams a while back about different fire structures. I couldn't find that post either.. lost in conversation somewhere.. Can I get you to post those pics here please?
I would like this conversation to stay on fire safety, fire types and their uses and fire fuels and purposes.
Typically, the Kolomoki city used the star fire rather than expending energy chopping wood. 6 logs lain across each other and across the pit radially, with the fire in the center. When they burned in two, the were enkindled and the fire continued. This was primarily for ceremonial fires where large fires with good hardwood coals were employed.
Boy, I've worn myself out..
Feel free to comment, I'll come back to this later and talk some more.
If you don't treat fire with respect, your survival situation could get a whole lot worse.
Bookmarks