| Taking the family on an old-fashioned camping trip | | | | long into the night since a good bed of hot coals |
| is an excellent way to create wonderful life-long | | | | can build up in the dug pit area. |
| vacation memories without breaking the family | | | | #4. Now that you have a safe place to build your |
| budget. In fact, because so many people are | | | | campfire, start gathering your wood. Don't cut |
| struggling with financial problems in today's | | | | branches off of trees or chop anything down |
| economic climate, the primitive family tent | | | | though, you want to gather fallen wood only. |
| camping trip is quickly becoming the most popular | | | | There's three types of firewood you'll need to |
| vacation choice this year. | | | | make the best campfire. |
| Many families are opting to take a tent camping | | | | Kindling is the primary thing needed to get the |
| trip to nearby state parks because it is so much | | | | campfire started, because it's very small dry bits |
| less expensive to do than getting a hotel room. | | | | and pieces of highly flammable materials. Paper is |
| And there are plenty of state park campground | | | | excellent to use as kindling but the camping area |
| near enough to larger city areas and attractions | | | | is probably filled with plenty of other things to use |
| that an entire family can have a full week's worth | | | | too, such as dried and dead weeds, pine needles, |
| of wonderful vacation time while hardly spending | | | | bits of bark, and tiny branches or twigs. |
| any money. | | | | Gather a lot of kindling because it burns very |
| One of the favorite parts of everyone's family | | | | quickly so you'll need enough to fully get your |
| camping trip though, is almost always sitting | | | | campfire going. |
| around the campfire at night. Everyone loves to | | | | The second type of wood you'll need to gather is |
| sit around and talk, tell each other stories, roast | | | | general or medium sized pieces. These are usually |
| hot dogs and marshmellows. Something about | | | | small fallen branches and larger chunks of bark. |
| that campfire fills a deep need in all of us that | | | | The last type of wood to gather up is your |
| cannot be forgotten. | | | | largest pieces. Logs are preferred but in remote |
| If you plan to take your family on a camping trip | | | | camping areas there aren't usually any that can fit |
| this year and you expect to have that wonderful | | | | into a campfire pit. You'll probably find fat dead |
| memory of sitting around the campfire, you'll | | | | tree branches though, and these work well. |
| need to know how to create and maintain your | | | | Always try to use only those pieces of wood |
| campfire safely - for your family and loved ones | | | | which can actually fit fully into your fire ring |
| as well as the wilderness areas you'll be camping | | | | though. Break longer pieces up to make them fit, |
| in. | | | | so you don't have to worry about your campfire |
| Building and enjoying a campfire safely is not | | | | escaping the safety area you've created for it. |
| difficult, but you'll want to follow all the steps | | | | #5: This is the most important step to take when |
| appropriately. Start with a clear, open spot which | | | | you have an outdoor campfire: Get buckets of |
| has no trees or vegetation overhanging above. | | | | water. Sit several buckets, pans, or containers of |
| Then follow these steps: | | | | water around the perimeter of your cleared |
| #1: Clear an area for your campfire. This is | | | | campfire area just in case there's an emergency. |
| particularly important if you are camping in a | | | | If anything happens that causes your campfire to |
| remote area which has never had a campfire built | | | | become dangerous, you'll be immediately able to |
| there before. It's critical to be sure you clear a | | | | douse it with lots of water quickly. |
| very wide space for your campfire, and make | | | | Now that you know the primary steps to take |
| sure it is not too close to any trees, bushes, | | | | for building a very safe campfire your family can |
| weeds, or other flammable vegetation. | | | | enjoy and remember for the rest of their lives, |
| When clearing a new campfire spot you'll want to | | | | don't forget other standard and basic safety |
| literally scrape away anything that can catch fire | | | | steps. If you have small children on the camping |
| easily. This includes weeds, grass, sticks and bark. | | | | trip, be sure to keep them from getting to close |
| The best campfire clearing is simple dirt. | | | | to the fire. Do the same with small animals, |
| If there is a ready made fire pit where you're | | | | particularly if your pets have never been outside |
| camping, then you'll just need to clear out any | | | | in remote, wild areas before. |
| debris such as fallen leaves and pine needles, and | | | | Pay attention to the fire itself too. Some types of |
| make sure the area just outside the fire pit is | | | | wood tend to crackle, spit and pop more so than |
| cleared of flammable items too. | | | | others and this could cause them to throw |
| #2: If there is not one there yet, create a circle | | | | embers outside of your fire ring. Be ready to |
| of rocks. This will be your fire pit or ring which will | | | | douse any stray bits with water, and be sure the |
| help contain the campfire safely. This ring should | | | | flames have died down completely before going |
| be placed in the center of your cleared area so | | | | to sleep. |
| that any stray sparks will fall on plain dirt. | | | | Remember too that at the end of your camping |
| This ring of stones will also be useful when you go | | | | trip, you need to be sure there is no hot coals or |
| to sleep at night too. If it gets cold in your chosen | | | | fire of any kind left in your campfire ring. Fully |
| camping spot, you can put one of the warm | | | | flood the campfire area with water to put |
| stones into the bottom of your sleeping bag. | | | | everything out. Repeat the dousing with water |
| #3: This is an optional step, but it's particularly | | | | until there are no hissing sounds, and you can use |
| recommended when you're camping in dry areas | | | | your bare hands to move around the wet ashes. |
| which can be more prone to wildfires: Dig a foot | | | | Being able to touch anything in the campfire pit |
| or two in the center of the stone circle you | | | | with your hands is a sure sign that you've put it |
| created, so you'll have more of a pit in the | | | | out completely, and there are no further fire |
| ground. This helps contain your campfire, plus it | | | | hazards once you leave. |
| can be a good way to easily keep the fire going | | | | |