Req 8 — Fire Safety at Camp

Campfires are at the heart of Scout tradition. Learning to build, tend, and extinguish them safely turns fire from a hazard into a tool.

Leave No Trace & Camping Fires

Leave No Trace Principle 5: Camp with Care applies directly to camping fires:

• Use established fire rings when available. Do not create new rings, which damage soil.
• Keep fires small. Only burn what you need for cooking and warmth.
• Use dead and downed wood. Never cut live branches or trees.
• Fully extinguish before leaving. Cold ashes, not warm embers.
• Pack out ash (or disperse it over a large area) if in wilderness. In campsites, leave ashes in the ring.
• Use camp stoves instead of fires when possible, especially in fragile ecosystems.

A campfire managed with Leave No Trace principles leaves the campsite as untouched as possible for the next group.

Matches: Safety & Strike-Anywhere

Safety Matches

• Strike only on a specially coated striking surface (usually on the matchbox).
• The phosphorus is on the box surface, not the matchhead.
• Safer because they require specific friction to ignite.
• Less likely to self-ignite if rubbed accidentally.

Strike-Anywhere Matches

• Ignite on any rough surface (rock, boot, thumbnail, striking strip).
• Phosphorus is on the matchhead itself.
• More convenient for camping (no need for a striking surface).
• Greater fire risk if mishandled (can ignite accidentally if jostled in a pack).

Safe match handling:

• Hold the match away from your body.
• Strike downward at a 45° angle.
• Wait a second for the flame to fully develop (don’t bring it to your face immediately).
• To extinguish, blow gently or dip the flame into water (do not wave it, which spreads embers).
• Dispose of spent matches in a fire or in water-filled container (never leave them on the ground).

Flint & Steel / Ferro Rod

Flint and Steel (traditional)

Strike hardened steel against flint to create sparks. Requires skill and practice but produces reliable sparks in wet conditions (flint itself doesn’t absorb moisture).

Ferro Rod (modern alternative)

Strike a steel striker down the length of a magnesium/iron alloy rod to produce hot sparks. Easier to use and more reliable for beginners.

To use:

1. Prepare a bundle of tinder (see below).
2. Hold the flint/rod steady.
3. Strike at a 45° angle, directing sparks into the tinder bundle.
4. Once a spark catches (glowing coal), blow gently to encourage flame.
5. Gradually add small kindling as the flame grows.
6. Once a small flame is established, test that you can extinguish it using one principle of the fire tetrahedron (usually removing oxygen by smothering, or removing heat by cooling with water/dirt).

Charcoal Fire

Safe and efficient for cooking:

1. Use a charcoal chimney (metal cylinder with grates). Pour charcoal in the top, light crumpled paper underneath.
2. Wait 10–15 minutes until coals are white on the edges (fully ignited).
3. Carefully dump coals into the grill or cooking area.
4. Never use lighter fluid in a Scout setting (hazardous).
5. Cook as heat decreases (don’t add more charcoal mid-meal—it won’t ignite properly and creates smoke).
6. Fully extinguish by spreading coals and letting them cool, then drowning with water.

Three Common Fire Lays

Teepee Lay

Arrange kindling in a conical shape with tinder in the center. As the fire burns upward and inward, falling wood feeds the flames. Good for quick fires and cooking.

Log Cabin (or Crisscross) Lay

Stack kindling in alternating directions (like a miniature cabin). Air flows between pieces. Good for sustained fires that burn evenly.

Lean-To Lay

Lean kindling against a large log or branch. Tinder goes under the lean-to. Reflective heat from the backing log helps ignite kindling. Good for wet conditions because reflected heat helps dry wood.

Tinder, Kindling, Fuel:

• Tinder: Fine, dry material that catches flame easily (dry grass, bark, feather sticks, cotton balls).
• Kindling: Small sticks (pencil-thin to thumb-thick) that burn quickly and build heat.
• Fuel: Larger wood (wrist-thick to arm-thick) that burns slowly and sustains the fire.

Always gather more wood than you think you’ll need.

Following Leave No Trace:

• Collect only dead and downed wood.
• Break pieces into appropriate sizes (don’t strip bark or damage living trees).
• Use established fire rings.
• Keep fires small.

Camp Stoves

Cleaner and safer than campfires:

• Liquid-fueled (white gas): Most reliable in cold; requires priming.
• Propane cartridge: Convenient, consistent, but heavy for backpacking.
• Butane: Lighter, but less reliable in cold.

Safe use:

1. Use on stable, level ground away from tents and flammable items.
2. Ensure ventilation (never use inside tents or enclosed spaces).
3. Follow manufacturer’s instructions for your stove type.
4. Keep fuel separate from flames.
5. Clean stove if it clogs.
6. Fully cool before refueling.

Campsite Fire Safety

• Fire ring away from camp. At least 15 feet from tents and shelters.
• Clear the area. Remove leaves, pine needles, and grass in a 10-foot radius.
• Keep water nearby. Bucket or hose for emergencies.
• Attend fires. Never leave a campfire unattended.
• Fully extinguish. Feel ashes with your hand—they should be cold.
• Never use gas camp stoves inside tents (carbon monoxide risk).
• Cooking stove away from tent. Set up outside and downwind.
• Store fuel safely. Away from camp, away from heat.

Teaching Fire Skills (Req 8h)

Create a lesson plan for a fire safety skill using the EDGE method (Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable):

1. Explain why the skill matters.
2. Demonstrate the skill carefully, step-by-step.
3. Guide the Scout as they try it.
4. Enable them to do it independently and teach others.

Example: Teaching “Lighting a Match Safely”

• Explain: Matches can cause burns; proper technique minimizes risk.
• Demonstrate: Show the strike motion, flame development, safe extinguishing.
• Guide: Let the Scout practice with supervision, correct grip and angle.
• Enable: Have them light several matches successfully, then teach a younger Scout.

Now let’s expand from camp fires to the largest fires: wildland fires.