Building Fire In The Rain

[eviscerate3]

Hello all, I am planning on doing a little hike/camp this weekend here in Iowa. Well, it is supposed to rain friday night thru sunday with lows of around 30. Although having a fire is not necessary, it sure would be nice. i am familiar with how to find dry tinder to start the fire but not too familiar with keeping a fire going in the rain. Do i just need to build it large enough that it might last thru a bit of rain or am i just out of luck and will have no fire? Any help would be much appreciated
danny d

[grundle]

Hello all, I am planning on doing a little hike/camp this weekend here in Iowa. Well, it is supposed to rain friday night thru sunday with lows of around 30. Although having a fire is not necessary, it sure would be nice. i am familiar with how to find dry tinder to start the fire but not too familiar with keeping a fire going in the rain. Do i just need to build it large enough that it might last thru a bit of rain or am i just out of luck and will have no fire? Any help would be much appreciated
danny d

Ok bear with me here, but imagine this.

1) a match
2) a gallon of gasoline

[crashdive123]

You've got some options when keeping a fire in the rain. You can build a fire large enough to evaporate the raindrops (providing it is not a torrential down pour) before they hit the fire. While this may be OK for college pep rally bon fires, it probably not the best option. A smaller fire with a natural or eviserate3 made shelter would probably be a better option.

[eviscerate3]

Crashdive, What sort of shelter would you have in mind? A lean to style or maybe try to build something of a roof? We will be in a hilly wooded area, with most of the woods being
deciduous there is not much for tree cover this time of year, but plenty of branches to build with. Thanks Much!!
danny d

[crashdive123]

You can build a small lean-to that doubles as a shelter and reflector (dont burn it down). Rock outcroppings, fallen logs, trees uprooted by the wind all are possibilities. Obviously you need to take care with the size of your fire and not let it get out of control. Since you know you will be going out in rainy conditions, why not throw some folded up aluminum foil in your pack (less chance of burning and makes a good reflector).

[crashdive123]

Also, I don't know how hilly it is where you are going, but digging a small fireplace into the side of a hill can work well too.

[FVR]

Years ago I built a lean to for a night in the rain and snow. It was just big enough for me and my limited gear.

I put a poncho on the bottom with the ends turned up so the rain water would run under me. The top and sides were just scraps of canvas that worked pretty well, I made it so the only opening was about 2' at my head and shoulders.

I also had a piece of wool that I draped over the opening so I could get air flow yet reach out and throw a long on the fire.

I positioned logs within arms reach and made a fire a wee bit further. Between me and the fire was nothing, well except for the wool drape. On the other side of the fire is where I made a heat director. I positioned about 8 2' logs around the outside of the fire. This not only directed the heat to me, but also acted as a backstop when I threw a log into the fire. The logs of course did catch fire, but they just burned a little.

It rained and snowed that night. It was awsome as in the lean to with me was a little turkey and the Cherokee drums were played all night.

[Geronimo!]

Those are good ideas.

Eviscerate, this may be common knowledge to you, but if your wood is wet, you can dry it by laying it next to the fire.

[hoosierarcher]

Something I make and put in my pack for rainy day fires. An emptied oatmeal tube filled with fine maple shavings, maple twigs,dried pine cones and needles, split maple and pine kindling and then melted paraphin poured over it all to coat and hold it all together. I then take a pice of waxed paper and pitch pine glue it insidew the open end about an inch point a hole in it wherein I place a petroleum jelly smeared cotton ball. Then I use a paper punch to make 1/4 inch holes between the lip and the wax paper every inch around the diameter of the tube. Then I tape the plastic lid that comes with the oatmeal tube on to keep everything dry. To use take the lib off, one good spark lights the cotton ball. Invert the tube so that the opening in on the bottom of the fire pit. The holes in the side will provide air like a charcoal chimney.Then I build a teepee/A frame fire with it as the base as quickly as I can with additional tinder interspersed. This is what I call a "fire heart" and it will burn hot enough, long enough to get damp to wet wood to burn.

[gryffynklm]

Keep in mind this was at a car accessible location. Drive in and drop off. I suppose a similar thing can be done with fallen branches or an over hanging tree limb and some para cord. I have been able to keep light rain out of a fire by using a small canvas fly 4' x 6' about 6' above the fire. It was set up like a dining fly. I put a small rock folded into each corner and tied a cord trapping the rocks in the canvas with a knot. The cord was then tied to the end of four branches. The branches are basically tent poles. They were staked by two cords at each corner. We also used some flat rock and logs that were about, as a wind break. Its a bit bulky for a hiking situation but you may be able to work something out. We were able to maintain a good fire and feed 20 people lunch and dinner. The fire pit was about 1' x 3'. We had to keep an eye on the fire to be sure the flame didn't become too high.

I like Crash's idea of using heavy foil. Its lighter and easier to pack especially if you don't need a big fire.

[erunkiswldrnssurvival]

I wait to split wood until i need it, stack the wood onto the fire loosely. use pine and a hard wood togather.Dry wet wood next to the fire so that its dry when you need it

[biddysere]

Build your fire under the tree canopy, if you can, or take a tarp,space blanket, etc.. and make a lean-to with it above the fire. I personnally would use something big enough to shelter me while I am standing around the fire too. Does no go to have a fire if you are getting soaking wet. Remember to place it high enough that the sparks doen't burn holes all in it. Keep your spare wood next to the heat to help keep it dry as well.

[Rick]

As Erun said, wait to split your wood until you need it. Your wood is only wet on the outside. When you split it the dry wood inside should burn just fine.