BITF Challenge: Life of a fire

[your_comforting_company]

I propose a "field" challenge, that is a bit dangerous, very time consuming, but also very educational.
I realize that most of us are "weekend warriors" who work at least 5 days a week. In that respect, many of us won't be able to take this challenge beyond a few days.

The Challenge:
How long can you keep a fire going? Start a fire, and don't let it go out!
Fire area must be cleaned BEFORE starting your fire. No leaves, sticks or debris within 3 feet of your fire!!
1. You can start the fire with whatever method you prefer, from sticks to bics.
2. you can move the fire using whatever method you prefer, but you must use a coal from the original fire, from cigars, to baskets, to mushrooms (I don't recommend using your bare hands).
3. You may use your hotali (breath) to blow on coals to rekindle the fire, although traditionally, this was forbidden.
4. At NO POINT should the fire be left untended. Not even to gather more tinder. An untended fire is a destructive force. Please be responsible with fire! Enlist the help of a friend, spouse, or one of your children but DO NOT leave the fire unattended!!! Not even for a minute!
5. When all coals and sparks are extinguished the challenge is over. Post your results. Pictures would be nice, but not necessary.
6. Continuity is key to this challenge, but you may extinguish the fire at any time you choose. This ends the challenge, but you may start over any time.
*this challenge is based on the honor system. Don't cheat yourself or others. There is no "prize" to be won, only knowledge and security.

If this is a bad idea, Mods please remove the post.
At the boy scout event, I was appalled by pouring water on the fire at bedtime. I thought, "how are we going to cook breakfast and coffee?" I suppose I am from a different world than their "manual" comes from.

The lessons here are many. It will teach responsibility, foremost, and help folks try to think of clever ways of doing things which limit your ability to use your hands.
fire starting and building (increasing)
feeding the fire and enkindling
banking fire
transporting fire

One of the things that united all the ancient people in my area, is One Fire. At the Busk, a priest would start a fire, and at the end of the celebration, each tribe would get a coal from that great Fire. They were tasked with getting the fire home, as many as 18 days walk (or more). That fire was continued for a whole year, and if it ever did go out, they could borrow a coal from a neighbor to rekindle their own. In this way, all of the members of the Nation were "kin" (there is a different Creek word that I do not know).

[kyratshooter]

YCC, I must ask if fires used for heating the home would count?

One of the parting phrases of early America was "Keep the fire". It was used instead of good-bye.

I once built a fire in the woodstove in October and that first kindling was continued until April. The fire never went out for the entire winter.

I have done the same many times when living at the lake house when i would build a fire on Friday afternoon and it would continue until Monday.

At my reenactment camps I often keep the same fire going for 6-10 days. I have been know to keep one going through pouring rain.

When I was a kid we often built a fire in the smokehouse to cure the meat. That fire would continue as constant smoke for a month.

I would also caution that this is an American thing, since even Europeans of the middle ages had a fuel shortage. many European visitors to early America remarked that our people were much healthier and more of our babies lived due to our plentiful supply of firewood. We could keep our homes warm constantly.

[hunter63]

It's not uncommon for the "Camp" fire....as it fire for the camp, to burn continuously for what ever duration we were there.

Plenty of banking, cleaning pit (or stove) on the fly......using "stuff and giggles wood" or a "smolder log" to keep going, and a "green stick (log) to keep smoldering till morning....or your return.


I sure many people haven't experienced this as a way of life, or do all your cooking and such....but you will need the time and location to do this.

Last couple of years, open fires were not allowed in the whole state as we were in drought mode.

Will be interesting.
Personelly I want to work on the 'punk stick", fire horn and other ways of transporting fire, (or just keeping a coal going)....with found materials.

[gryffynklm]

tote-kit-cau humgoce: people of one fire. Among them was the Creek Confederacy.

Excellent challenge. I have managed weeks in the wood stove and a few days at camp nut never went to the extent of going for a long hall having to deal with wind and rain. The un attended part becomes the difficulty for me. I'll try at my next camping trip if i can.

[hunter63]

That would be a problem for me as well......generally use a smolder log....Big log kinda green to lay on the coals after it's burned down to coals/ash

Fire will get it going, but too green to actually burn with flame, just gets red and smoldering under it.......When you want to stoke up again, roll it over, stack some kindling on it and away it goes.

The just roll it aside away fro the fire and it kinda goes out till needed again.

[kyratshooter]

I have seen cast iron pots used for transporting embers on many of the historic sites I have worked. A little kettle with a tight fitting lid. They were common in built up areas where coals could be borrowed from neighbors or from house to house as needed.

I have worked several camps at historic sites where no modern fire tools were allowed and all fires were kindled from live coals. Each morning saw folks running from camp to camp with shovels full of coals. There was often a central fire kept burning in one of the cabins for this purpose. It does tend to build community since people must talk to each other and act civilly for these purposes. It is seldom that one leaves a camp without learning the names of neighbors while borrowing coals and such. No sitting there minding one's own business for a weekend like an old frog.

There was one historic incident at Bledsoe Station where a woodsman named Hugh Rogan ran through an Indian siege to recover coals from a fort so his wounded and dying friend, Anthony Bledsoe could have light to write his will.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bledsoe's_Station

I show that as proof that not all the longhunters and frontiersmen were espically skilled at firebuilding or carried "fire kits" constantly. these seasoned Indian fighters had to "send out" for fire.

[hunter63]

Fire is amazing......It can be 100 degrees, and still everyone gathers around for discussion, planing, BS'ing....truly a "community" activity.
Most camps have a "camp pyro" that can't stay away from it....you have to keep them under control, but are useful people.

Managed to keep my fire going thru a hard thunderstorm over nite, using some slab wood as a 'cover', and splitting some dry wood in the morning.
God puts bark on outside wood to keep the inside dry......

Neighbor had pushed his boys to split ALL his fire wood the day before, no cover and fire went out.

He got 'pilgrim" company in the morning, that wanted to see this mountain man deal with the elements, and have a hot cup of coffee.

As he was trying to entertain and look good for his company....struggling to get he fire going,.......I picked a log the was going pretty good out of my pit with a set of tongs.....walked over when no one was paying attention....dropped it in his pit.

He played along.....and the day was saved.

Later, after the day was over.....he came over to my fire with a bottle of home made cherry wine, as a thanks you, as we discussed the virtue of only splitting what you need at the time, when you don't have a cover.......
Was some pretty good wine....made a friend and a memory.

[your_comforting_company]

I should think a wood stove, in home, would be the safest and most practical place to try this test, and should count for the challenge. Remember, though, that these challenges are for our less experienced brothers. I have let my "winter fire" go out a few times this season while the weather was a bit warmer, or while I was out of town.
Probably my longest run without actually starting a new fire (since I got my wood stove) is about two weeks. Outside, especially in this neighborhood, we PREACH fire safety. Fair amounts of pine needles, dry grasses, etc, it is very dangerous if you don't follow the proper tendin' rules!

My personal test in this will be the transporting of coals to make new fire in a different location. Like H, I want to experiment with different coal extenders making the cigars and horns, and see just how long and far I can take one fire. I am going to try to take a piece to several friends homes in a sort of "pilgrimage" to form a mock-up of the communities and also bring us closer as friends. My knapper friend and I are planning a trip to my new tanner-friends house for a visit, and I plan to take a coal with me then.

I already see so much great input from you guys. Thanks for your tips and participation, guys. Even though we are miles apart and we shall each have our own fires, I think it will bring many of us closer, through learning and sharing. I know you fellows in the more northern climes have kept fires for months, but frankly, down here it just isn't that cold for that long. I think it's important to repeat this is not a "contest". It is a personal challenge that I hope you will share with family and friends.

Is there a possibility that a few (or a lot) of us could all start a fire on the same day, at the same time, taking into account our "time zones"? Say.. on a friday evening?

[birdman6660]

I should think a wood stove, in home, would be the safest and most practical place to try this test, and should count for the challenge. Remember, though, that these challenges are for our less experienced brothers. I have let my "winter fire" go out a few times this season while the weather was a bit warmer, or while I was out of town.
Probably my longest run without actually starting a new fire (since I got my wood stove) is about two weeks. Outside, especially in this neighborhood, we PREACH fire safety. Fair amounts of pine needles, dry grasses, etc, it is very dangerous if you don't follow the proper tendin' rules!

My personal test in this will be the transporting of coals to make new fire in a different location. Like H, I want to experiment with different coal extenders making the cigars and horns, and see just how long and far I can take one fire. I am going to try to take a piece to several friends homes in a sort of "pilgrimage" to form a mock-up of the communities and also bring us closer as friends. My knapper friend and I are planning a trip to my new tanner-friends house for a visit, and I plan to take a coal with me then.

I already see so much great input from you guys. Thanks for your tips and participation, guys. Even though we are miles apart and we shall each have our own fires, I think it will bring many of us closer, through learning and sharing. I know you fellows in the more northern climes have kept fires for months, but frankly, down here it just isn't that cold for that long. I think it's important to repeat this is not a "contest". It is a personal challenge that I hope you will share with family and friends.

Is there a possibility that a few (or a lot) of us could all start a fire on the same day, at the same time, taking into account our "time zones"? Say.. on a friday evening?

the weather here in northern Canada turned cold early this year .. sooo the woodstove got fired up mid september ... its still going .. 3 or 4 times a week I remove a pail of coals whilst cleaning and then proceed to dump it in tbe old pot belly stove in the garage/ shop whers i work on classic cars ... tbe fire wil most likely still be blazing till early May ....so it burns for the best part of 9 months and does so every year ....