Smokeless Fire?????

Mikael Runefoot

Mikael Runefoot

New member
Would anyone be able to tell me a great way to make a fire in the woods that has as little smoke as possible? I would like to squat in the woods without people finding me..
 
The only way is to find extremely dry wood. Some types can retain enormous quantities of water for a long time. If it doesn't bend at all but snaps, it's very dry. Spend enough time breaking up wood and you'll get an eye for how dry it is.
 
If a dakota fire put is just a fire in a hole or trench, yep works great. It takes alot more skill to build a small fire then a big one, so practice and pay attention. Start a few small twigs burning, slowly carefully add more. Dont just start a big sloppy mess of loose shit on fire... seen so many people do this. Usually with pallets. It makes more light and less heat, then you've burned all your wood and need to find more. Nope, think of it as building a coalbed instead of a fire. Keep adding little stuff until you have a big glowing red pile of embers... lots of heat, it'll dry wet wood fast, much less smoke. If its in a pit, with a pile of damp earth nearby, you can hide it fast and move. I've done this in town parks and parking lots... I hear manzanita wood burns almost smokeless, check it out if it grows in your area.
 
Oh yeah, word about pit fires... if there are trees nearby, be vigilant! A hot coal can actually smoulder its way through thick old roots... days later, you have a smoking tree that just might burst into flames. Seems crazy, but I've actually seen one of these start; smoking cracks three feet from a fire pit in the morning. Its a huge pain in the ass to dig these out and find all the hot spots. My personal philosophy is that even human started fires should be left to burn - we suppress so many its only fair! But to be practical, starting a forest fire is a pretty bad way to blow up a catch out or cool camping spot...
 
Go in a little further and your activities will be more difficult to notice.
 
Wawa said:
But to be practical, starting a forest fire is a pretty bad way to blow up a catch out or cool camping spot...
Click to expand...

Not to mention a great way to risk arrest. They do sometimes track down and arrest people for starting forest fires, so be mindful of that.
 
@Wawa - you people have had some bad fires there too! Have a friend who moved from British Columbia to Australia some years ago (she's an ultra long distance bicyclist) - and she has had to abandon her house more than once (never had any damage thank goodness).

@zim - ha you know your place in the woods you liked to go when you were here for a bit? Pinnacle Hill. Well someone got a little rambunctious last night and there was a big fire there - 2 fire companys called in.
 
Just remember, wherever you are to be safe and respect the land; if there are rocks, make a circle pit; if not then use wet downed logs or sizeable wood for your barrier. Then just scout the area for dry 'dead' wood on trees so that will be your kindling. In this season, look for birds nests, for they make a great way to start a fire and also cedar tree bark right now is peelable, and a great tender source...
 
Jaguwar said:
Not to mention a great way to risk arrest. They do sometimes track down and arrest people for starting forest fires, so be mindful of that.
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Yep, and after that they might decide to shut down that part of the forest to public use... for your own safety, of course!
 
Tude said:
@Wawa - you people have had some bad fires there too! Have a friend who moved from British Columbia to Australia some years ago (she's an ultra long distance bicyclist) - and she has had to abandon her house more than once (never had any damage thank goodness).

@zim - ha you know your place in the woods you liked to go when you were here for a bit? Pinnacle Hill. Well someone got a little rambunctious last night and there was a big fire there - 2 fire companys called in.
Click to expand...

Lol it was probably Josiahs crazy ass trying to burn down the forest again

Little off topic, but context for everyone else, I met some guy named Josiah up there who was ranting and raving about burning down forests to birth new life. Thought he was just talking shit... couple of weeks later one entire size of the hill was engulfed in flames, FD found that it started from his camp. Gasoline.

And yeah, dakota fire pits are great but they're a bitch to make and subject to the whims of the wind
 
+1 for the dakota firepit, it works great too cook on too if you have a bbq grate to lay over it. Other advice: Burn as small of fire as you need, only at night (smoke harder to see), and as hot as possible (dry wood, smallee than the diameter of your wrist)
 
Mikael Runefoot said:
Would anyone be able to tell me a great way to make a fire in the woods that has as little smoke as possible? I would like to squat in the woods without people finding me..
Click to expand...
tree branches growing above the (Dakota) fire (pit) will help to dissipate rising smoke.
[if smoke doesn't rise, or wafts sideways n lingers about, barometric pressure could be dropping. look for rain clouds]
 
As the others said before, a Dakota Fire Pit is best. Make sure to build it at a base of a tree for maximum smoke dissipation.

You will have lots of smoke when you start and put out your fire.
When you start your fire: Use small dry sticks with the bark shaved off. Water makes the wood harder to burn, plus adding in more smoke.

When your fire has been started, keep it small. Also, look up on different types of wood to burn. Some make more smoke than others. Bark is a large producer of smoke, so if you can, try and strip the bark off the wood.

Just like what @Wawa said: A smouldering coal can burn into a tree and light it up.
So get a small container and fill it with water and dirt. Make it into a thinish mud. It will put out the fire AND stop any smoke from coming out. Quick and effective.

I hope this helps!
 
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