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Responsible Fire Starting
So, we all know fire is essential for life. And also that it can be a pain to start, and a pain to stop if it becomes out of control. I’ve made a few fires (of course with some responsible assistance from my lovely Dad). And let me tell you, for a kid, fire starting is hard work! I was up North, (think Happy Jack), and let me tell you, that was not easy!
Random Fact I found: While I was cutting up wood and gathering the little tiny pieces (kindling) for starting the fire, I don’t believe I got a single splinter! And just think how easy we can get splinters just from brushing against an old wooden door!
Firstly, we had to have a fire pit. There were pine needles everywhere, so we had to rake them up. Finally, after that, we had to dig the pit. Nice and deep too, and the fresh earth smelt so heavenly, it was like we had opened up the earth for the first time.
Then came the fun, but sometimes spooky part. Getting those rocks! I had knocked over two rocks (like everyone who prospects or builds a fire should, those darn snakes, scorpion and bugs can be lurking!) and found myself face to face with a hill of ants! I managed to roll them off the rock, and put it around the hole in the ground. Finally, I finished my battle with the ants, victorious was I.
Next came the hard part, getting the darn wood to light! With a nice fire starter that threw sparks (and yes, those 3,000 degree sparks hurt when they hit your finger!). It took a lot of determination, and magnesium shavings to get it to light! Finally, my precious little fire lit!
However, not all magnesium shavings are made equal (and no, Colt can’t make them equal either.)
Back in the desert (somewhere, another time, another galaxy) my awesome Dad was showing me how to make a fire, and the magnesium he bought from a store, it didn’t hardly light! But his fire starter that he had bought, it lit those dry grasses on its own in just a few seconds! We kept the fire alive for a few minutes, feeding it, before we responsibly drowned it well enough to keep it dead forever.
One time, while we were dry washing it was in the season of Wasps (Spring), where they were wasps around, and every other bug one can imagine. To ward them off, my amazing Dad built a small fire that produced just enough smoke to keep the wasps away and it was my duty to tend the fire! Keeping the fire alive kept the wasps away. My dad taught me a lot that day about fire and gold!
I kept it alive for a very, very long time! It was in a safe spot, where it couldn’t get out of control, and I kept it covered, making a little stove in the process! (No, there was no steak dinner however.) Finally, it had to be drowned and covered with dirt. My little fire had kept the bugs away and kept me somewhat warm on a cool December’s day. Plus we found some awesome gold!
It’s best to practice something rather than having to have to figure it out in an emergency situation. (Yeah I’ve been a Girl Scout). So if you ever have your kids out, and it’s safe to build a fire, teach them how to build a fire. The yes’s, and the no’s of fire building are good to learn, and in the event your younglin’ in the future ever gets stuck outdoors (and let’s hope that never happens!) they can make a fire with a fire starter and what can be found with the natural resources at hand.
It can be fun, frustrating at some points, but overall rewarding. Creating a fire is nice, especially when you get to roast cheddar filled hot dogs on it! That’s what I call a campfire dinner! Overall, it’s fun and good to teach! It’s relaxing, and can warm us in our coldest hours. So, I hope this was funny, and maybe inspiring. Teach your kids to build a fire, teach your grand kids, nephews, nieces, whoever! And also teach them the good, bad, and ugly about fire (like those wild fires.). Teaching teens responsibility makes responsible adults. Be responsible people! Obey fire restrictions!
Always,
Amanda Fitzhugh
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