Remembering the Old Ways: Fire

Fire is one of the most essential skills to reclaim when returning to the land.

It offers warmth, light, cooked food, boiled water, protection from wild animals, and the ability to dry clothes, tools, and shelter materials. It brings comfort and rhythm—something to rise with, cook by, and tend to through the night.

In a world where we’ve outsourced almost everything, fire reminds us that we still hold the knowledge to live, even with very little.

What You’ll Need

Fire needs three materials to come alive: tinder, kindling, and fuel.

Tinder is what catches the first spark or flame. It must be dry and fine.

Birch bark (excellent—burns even when damp)
Cotton wool or paper
Dry grass, seed heads, or bracken
Char cloth (carbonised cotton, ideal with flint or spark)

Kindling feeds the small flame until it’s strong enough to burn larger fuel.

Pencil-width twigs (dry and dead)
Feather sticks (wood shavings carved into curls)
Pine needles or bark strips

Fuel wood keeps the fire going. You’ll need larger sticks and logs.

Dry, seasoned hardwoods: ash, birch, oak, beech
Softwoods: pine, fir (good for kindling, burns fast and smoky)
Avoid green or wet wood—it smokes and suffocates the flame

Gather your materials first and sort them by size. Keep them dry and close to hand before you light anything.

Preparing Your Fire Site

Clear a patch of ground down to soil or sand.

Remove leaves, moss, or dry matter that might catch.

If outdoors, dig a shallow pit and circle it with stones to contain heat.

In sheltered spaces, use a fireproof bowl or base.

Always keep a container of water or soil nearby for safety.

Building the Fire

The teepee fire is simple and effective.

Place your tinder bundle in the centre of the fire site.
Lean kindling over the tinder in a cone shape, leaving space for air to move through.
Light the tinder at the base—once it catches, feed the flame with more kindling.
Gradually add fuel wood, building up the fire as it strengthens.
Don’t rush—too much wood too soon will smother it.

Other structures you can learn:

Log cabin fire: Stacks of fuel wood in a square frame with tinder inside—good for a long, steady burn.
Lean-to fire: A piece of kindling or bark leant against a log with tinder underneath—useful in wind.

Lighting the Fire

With matches or a lighter:

Light the tinder and blow gently to help the flame catch. Add kindling as it grows.

With a ferrocerium rod (ferro rod):

Strike the rod with a sharp edge (like a knife spine) to send hot sparks into the tinder. Birch bark and cotton wool catch well.

With flint and steel:

Strike steel against flint to produce small sparks. Aim these into char cloth. When it smoulders, transfer to a tinder nest and blow gently into flame.

The Bow Drill (Friction Fire)

The bow drill creates fire with nothing but wood, friction, and your own strength. It’s difficult to master, but deeply empowering.

You’ll need:

A spindle: a dry, straight stick (hazel, elder, or willow)
A hearth board: flat, dry wood with a notch carved into it
A bow: curved stick with strong cord or natural fibre
A socket: stone, bone, or wood to hold the spindle in place

Wrap the spindle with the bowstring and spin it quickly into the notch of the hearth board while pressing down with the socket. The friction creates fine black dust, which eventually glows into an ember. Transfer this into a dry tinder bundle and blow gently until it flames.

Start by learning the motion and rhythm. Don’t expect fire immediately. What you’re learning here is also patience, presence, and strength.

Common Fire Challenges

If it won’t light:

Check your tinder—it may be damp, too coarse, or too tightly packed.

Use finer, drier material and try again.

If it lights, then goes out:

You may have added fuel too soon. Give the flame time to establish.

Ensure there’s good airflow and dry kindling.

If there’s too much smoke:

Your wood is likely damp or green. Use seasoned wood that snaps cleanly when broken.

How to Practise

Build and light a small fire once a week, in all weather
Try using spark instead of matches
Gather your own tinder and test what burns best in your region
Keep a simple fire kit: dry tinder, a ferro rod, a small knife, and char cloth
Notice how the fire behaves—what it needs, how it grows, how it settles

The more you do this, the more your body learns. It stops being something you think about, and becomes something you know.

When You’ve Learned This Skill

You’ll move calmly when the fire goes out.

You’ll look for birch trees and dry pine without needing to check your notes.

You’ll understand what a fire needs by watching the smoke, listening to the crackle, feeling the warmth shift.

Fire becomes not just something you make—but something you know how to tend.