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< Back to Ways To Teach Leave No Trace Training Techniques - Minimise the Effects of FireThe following techniques focus on stove selection and the benefits of using a stove versus a campfire.
Quick Fire Round
Objective: To demonstrate the key points in minimising campfire impacts in a quick and fun way.
Materials: Fire blanket, a sack for carrying mineral soil, a trowel for digging mineral soil, matches/lighter, a quick fire quiz – question sheet and an answer sheets (see below, 1 per team). NB. The location you choose for this activity should have a source of mineral soil and materials for burning on a mound fire.
Audience: Any age. Groups of any size.
Duration: 15 to 20 min (without lighting fire).
Directions:
Introduce yourself and the subject you want to talk about in this case minimise Campfire Impacts. Discuss with the group reasons for having a campfire e.g. keeping ourselves warm through the night, cooking food, drying clothes, creating an atmosphere etc. Discuss with the group the types of impacts campfires can cause e.g. ugly campfire rings, damage to vegetation, damage to soil, scarring of rocks etc. Discuss with the group alternatives to campfires and ways of minimising the effects of campfires e.g. carrying in a light weight camp stove for cooking on, building a mound fire, using fire rings that was already there, keeping the fire small and only using wood that you find on the ground and can be broken by hand.
Activity: Quick Fire Quiz
Split the group into teams. Four members on each team is a good number but this will depend on the size of your group. Explain to the teams that this is not a discussion it is a quiz. Only 30 seconds will be allowed to answer each question. Explain how many rounds there is going to be and how many points will be given for each correct answer. Provide the teams with answer sheets. When the quiz is over gather up the answer sheets.
Sample Quick Fire Quiz Question Sheet
1. You are out with your family on a sunny summer day in your local country park (make this local to the area you are in). You decide to have a barbeque. To minimise the effects of the fire do you:
A) Place your disposable barbecue on some rocks you find
near the lake?
B) On the grass.
C) On the specially designed barbecue stands?
2. You are camping in beautiful woodland where campfires are allowed. It is your job to gather the wood for the campfire. Do you?
A) Bring a small skill saw with you and attempt to cut down an entire tree.
B) Snap off some small branches from the surrounding trees?
C) Gather small sticks you found on the ground that can be easily broken by hand.
3. After dinner at your campsite you and your friends are cleaning up. You have some empty plastic pots left over from the Pot Noodle you had for dinner. Do you?
A) Pack the empty pots back into your rucksack to bring home with you?
B) Just leave them on the ground around the campsite, there is lots of rubbish around anyway.
C) Just put them on the fire, they should burn down to nothing and it will save you from having to carry them out.
4. It’s the morning and your campfire is still glowing. Do you?
A) Leave it, it’s fine, it wouldn’t be long till it goes out by itself anyway.
B) Put it out with water and spread the ash around the campsite.
C) Put it out using soil, and spread the ashes around the campsite.
5. Building a campfire is an important emergency skill to have, but can you name another way of cooking food in the outdoors that would ‘Leave no Trace’.
Answer: A stove.
6. The best surface to place a fire pan is on:
A) Rocks
B) Sand
C) Inorganic Soils
D Any of the above
7. A campfire can be constructed:
A) When wind and weather are a problem
B) Against a large rock
C) Above a tree line
D) None of the above*
(*rocks will be blackened and weather-sensitive environments should always be considered).
8. Which of the following should you NOT have ready before
starting a fire?
A) Trowel or shovel
B) Water
C) Supply of dry wood broken in proper lengths*
D) Wood gathered from a wide area
(*wood should not be broken into smaller pieces until fed into the fire so that any remaining pieces can be returned to the forest floor, the way they were found).
9. Which of the following will have the most impact
on wildlife?
A) Burning food or trash*
B) Using existing fire rings
C) Using downed, dry wood
D) Singing around the campfire
(*burning food will attract animals)
10. Which campfire has the most impact? Least?
A) Mound fire
B) Fire pan
C) Candle*
D) Existing fire ring*
(*Most – D, Least – C)
11. For a fire pan, the sides of the pan need to be:
A) Sloping outward
B) At least 3” high*
C) Sloping inward
D) None of the above
(*At least 3” high to contain the fire properly).
12. To build a mound fire, which is not needed?
A) Rocks*
B) Trowel
C) Mineral soil or sand
D) Ground cloth or plastic bag
(*Rocks, though they may be used, are not necessary, and never to surround the mound).
13. Mineral soil is:
A) Rich in organic material
B) Full of minerals
C) Sand or dirt which contains little or no organic matter*
D) Easily damaged by heat
(*Either obtained from under the roots of a large, fallen tree or from a streambed) .
14. To properly build a fire on sand or gravel, you must:
A) Scoop out a shallow pit and line it with sand or gravel
B) Leave the charcoal for the next flood to wash away
C) Situate your fire well below the high water line
D) Both A and C*
(*Never leave any remains to be washed away).
15. Which of the following is the best source of firewood?
A) Small pieces of dead and downed wood*
B) Standing dead tree
C) Branches broken off a dead tree
D) Fallen tree
(*Only dead and downed wood should be used. Breaking off branches leaves an unnatural look and fallen/standing dead trees are a home to many critters).
After you have finished your Quick Fire Quiz demonstrate how to go about building a mound fire.
Demonstration - Building a mound fire: A mound fire is a low impact campfire that can be used in situations when having a campfire is appropriate. If there are any established fire rings at your campsite you can build your mound fire on top of them. Begin by placing a fire blanket on the ground where you are going to build your fire. The fire blanket helps to protect the soil and vegetation from extra damage but mainly with cleaning up the mound fire in the morning. Find an area near your campsite that has mineral soil e.g. the shore of a river or lake, around the roots of a fallen tree(root-ball). Use your trowel to dig enough mineral soil for your mound fire and then bring it back to camp in a sack. Try not to disturb the vegetation when removing your mineral soil. Build the mineral soil into a circular mound on top of the fire blanket. The mound fire should be approximately 45-60cm (18-24 inches) in diameter and 15-20cm (6-8 inches) high. The mound of mineral soil protects/insulates the ground from the heat of the fire. Roll the edges of the fire blanket under the mound to prevent embers singeing it. Once the mound fire is built you can involve the group again. Ask each member of the group to gather some firewood for the mound fire. When all members of the group return, go through the different pieces of firewood they have collected. Ideal pieces of wood are sticks that are already on the ground, they should be no thicker than your wrist and can be easily broken by hand and do not have lichens or mushrooms growing on them. Larger logs may not burn completely in the fire and will have to be removed from the site. Also some larger pieces of wood play an important part in the woodland habitat. Smaller pieces of wood will burn completely in the fire. Disposing of the ash is much easier than disposing of half burned logs. Discuss with the group disposal of the fire. Completely saturate the ash with water. When it’s cool to touch scatter the ash widely and evenly around the area. Return the mineral soil to the site you removed it from and try to leave the campfire site as natural looking as possible.
Campfire Options
Objective: To teach alternatives to building a rock ring campfire. Conveying the risk of an escaped campfire is also crucial.
Materials: Camp stove, fire pan, one metal trashcan lid, dirt in a bag for mound fire, small-diameter wood, twigs, fireproof ground cloth, one other cloth, trowel, bucket.
Audience: Ages 7 to 12yrs. Groups of any size.
Duration: 15 to 20 mins.
Directions:
Set up a mound fire, with a fire ring in place, place a fire pan on three rocks and set up a stove. When the children arrive, ask them which example is the best and safest for cooking outdoors. After they respond, explain why the stove is the best way. Talk about pine needles sticking out between the rocks and mention how fire can escape this way. Next, talk about Leave No Trace fires, like the mound fire and the use of a fire pan. Have children collect wood and make sure that it is not bigger than their arms. The children are to bring back one armfull each of wood. Assign three of the children to find three tennis ball-sized rocks to bring back to the site. Have one group build a small mound fire, putting dirt on a cloth and adding twigs and sticks. The other group builds a teepee fire in the fire pan/metal bin lid on the rocks. You can choose whether to light them or not.
Debrief:
After building a little teepee of wood on the mound of dirt and in the fire pan, we shift the focus to imagining camping without having a campfire at all. Have the children close their eyes for 20 seconds and be very quiet. Ask them to listen to the sounds around them. Then tell them to open their eyes and share what they heard. Next, talk about how noisy a campfire is. After this, have a couple of children take the soil from the mound fire and deposit it in a place of your choosing (where it came from or an uprooted tree). Mention that this would be done in the morning after the fire to ensure the fire is totally out.
Mound Fire Mania
Objective: To teach participants how to build a mound fire.
Materials: Multiple trowels, stuff sacks, sections of tarps or fire cloth, a large amount of mineral soil.
Audience: 10 yrs and over. Groups of any size.
Duration: 30 to 45 min.
Directions:
Demonstrate to participants how to build a mound fire. Then split the group up into smaller teams of 2 or 3. Place all of the materials on one side of your teaching space (classroom, lawn, etc.). Have each team line up and give them a minute to formulate a plan. Each member of the team has to run across the space and take one item back to the starting point. Once a team member has run across the space, they must remain at the starting point until each member of their team has taken a turn running to get materials. Once the tarp, trowel and stuff sack are at the starting point, participants will take turns running, back to the pile of materials to retrieve soil. While one team member is running the other(s) can be working on the construction of the mound fire. The first team to finish a proper mound fire wins. Discuss the benefits of a mound fire and how it can help ‘Minimise the Effects of Fire’.
Cleaner Cooking
Objective: To teach participants to match stove and fire alternatives to the type of travel and camp areas. Participants will also learn the importance of refraining from building open fires.
Materials: Different types of portable stoves, materials for a mound fire (for older students), branches and kindling.
Audience: 7yrs and over. Groups of any size.
Duration: 45 min.
Directions:
In an outdoor setting, explain to students the difference between a one-pot meal and a meal that requires more preparation. Have examples of these meals already prepared so that students can see visually how little mess is associated with a one pot meal. For children aged 7 to 12 years, teach them about fire preparation; focus on using the right size and type of fuel, clearing the fire area, etc. For children aged 12 and up, demonstrate a mound fire and discuss different types of camping stoves. Also, skip a campfire that night and talk about why doing this helps to ‘Leave No Trace’.
Firewood Gathering
Objective: To introduce the best size of firewood to gather for a campfire. This activity must be done outside, near a forested environment.
Materials: N/A.
Audience: All ages. Groups of any size.
Duration: 15 to 30 min.
Directions:
Have everyone in the group go out into the forest and gather one piece of firewood each. For smaller groups, you could have each participant gather multiple pieces. When everyone has brought back their pieces, pile them up and have them organise them in a line from the smallest to the biggest. Discuss with the group what appropriate sized firewood is (i.e. “dead and down” and no larger than your wrist). Have participants return the wood back to the forest. If you are planning on having a campfire after this activity, have the group return all of the inappropriate sized wood back to the forest and burn the appropriate sized pieces.
Night Lights
Objective: To demonstrate alternatives to campfires by having each student make their own luminary.
Materials: Brown paper bags (recycled brown ones are inexpensive and easy on the environment); scissors, exactoknives, or other cutting tools, stencils, sand, candles or tea lights (small decorative candles that come in their own recyclable aluminum cups – a safety-conscious alternative to tapered candles); small cutting board(s) or thin pieces of wood that will easily fit into the lunch bags.
Audience: 10yrs and over. Groups of any size.
Duration: 30 to 45 min.
Directions:
1. Give one bag to each participant and tell them that they are going to be making a “campfire” in a bag.
2. Using the cutting board(s) or the pieces of wood and the stencils participants can cut designs into each side of their bag. This will allow light from the candle to shine through. Remind the participants to be careful with the sharp cutting tools.
3. Once the designs have been cut into the bags, fold the top edge of the bags down about an inch for extra sturdiness.
4. Pour sand into the bottom of each bag, approximately one to two inches. The more sand, the more stable the luminary will be.
5. Place a candle or tea light in the middle of the bag, anchored firmly in the sand.
6. Ask participants to put the luminaries where they would like them to go and light carefully. Keep away from flammable vegetation or materials. Not recommended for use in a strong wind. Always obey fire regulations. Discuss how luminaries can provide a nice, easy alternative to campfires, which can be damaging to the environment if not made properly. Luminaries provide light and evening ambiance and are a great campfire substitute.
Cooking Campfire in the Countryside
Objective: To discuss the Leave No Trace principles. This activity is ideal for Boy Scouts.
Materials: 12 inch Dutch oven, 30 charcoal briquettes, fire pan or equivalent (eg. a pre-existing fire ring), oil for the frying pan, 2 lbs. of frozen hash browns, 1lb. pre-cooked bacon or sausage, 2 green peppers (dice and sauté at home), 1 medium onion (dice and sauté at home), 1 lb shredded cheese, spices as desired, approximately 2 flour tortillas per person.
Audience: All ages. Groups of any size (adjust recipe for group size).
Duration: 45 min to 1 hour.
Directions:
Choose an area that is appropriate for this activity. There are usually campfire rings or severely impacted areas that will work well. This activity can be done in a fire pan. Make sure that the participants are observing from a durable surface and stress the importance of planning ahead. By cracking the eggs at home and carrying them in a Nalgene container you eliminate the egg shells and reduce the risk of accidental spillage. Pre-cooking the bacon or sausage at home eliminates the need to dispose of the grease in a camp environment. Cooked meat will also keep better than uncooked. The green peppers, onions and spices should be prepared at home as well. Cook the meal as per the recipe (see next page). Point out that by using charcoal you don’t need to gather wood. Serve ‘samples’ on warmed flour tortilla (better than paper plates because you eat them and there are no dishes to clean up). Eat everything! Scrape the sides and keep handing out flour tortillas. When everything is gone you should have a fairly clean Dutch oven. Now add a small amount of olive oil and re-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Take one or two flour tortillas and use them like paper towels to mop up any left-over dust that is still in the oven. Eat the tortillas and you are done cleaning up. The next time you use the oven you will preheat (sanitize) it and the small amount of oil will keep it from rusting. Use time duringcooking to discuss other Leave No Trace topics or use the time as a question and answer session.
Directions for cooking: Start charcoal and preheat Dutch oven to 350 degrees. Add ¼ cup oil and hash browns. Cook hash browns for about 6 - 7 minutes then turn and cook about 4 - 5 minutes more. Add diced green pepper, onion and spices as desired. Add eggs and cover with hot lid. Put most of the coals on the lid and cook the eggs until set. Sprinkle the cooked meat on top and cover with cheese. Return lid to oven and heat until cheese is melted. Remove from heat and start warming the tortillas on the upside-down lid. Spoon breakfast onto tortillas and enjoy!
Minimising Fire Impact Lesson Plan
Objective: To increase participants’ understanding of the responsibility, management and principles of minimising campfire impacts. Participants will be able to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of having a campfire, state what it means to ‘Minimise the Effects of Fire’ and demonstrate skill in building and deconstructing a minimum impact fire.
Materials: Large stuff sack, a few small stuff sacks, materials to start and build a fire, fire pan, access to litter, duff and mineral soil.
Audience: 10yrs and over. Smaller group sizes work well.
Duration: 2 hrs 30 mins to 3 hrs.
Directions:
First, ask the group to think about the following questions: What is your first memory of a campfire? What happens when you smell the smoke of a campfire? What do campfires do? Have the group share their responses to these questions. Acknowledge that we all have powerful and mostly positive images of what campfires mean to us. Fires are or have been important parts of our history and association with the outdoors. Point out that fires are pleasing but carry lots of responsibility and management. Break the group up into two groups; try to have even numbered group sizes. Have each group brainstorm the pro’s and con’s of a campfire. You may need to add or correct information. After this discussion, move on to how to decide if a fire is appropriate. If you decide you want to have a fire, can you respond in the affirmative to the following questions: What are current regulations? Is it safe and responsible to build a fire? Is there abundant deadwood available?
Site Location: Discuss the topic of choosing a site for a fire. To do this, split the group into 2 groups. Have one group brainstorm what they would look for in a pristine area and have the other group look for what they would look for at a developed site. Then, bring the groups together and have them report on what they came up with; you may have to correct information. Some things to think about for the discussion are as follows: safe location (i.e. wind, tents, branches, underground roots, duff, grasses, location of water, etc.), little or no potential for adverse environmental impact, existing fire ring, availability of firewood, etc.
Soil Types: Collect samples of each soil type ahead of time and put them in stuff sacks. Have the group circle up and close their eyes. And pass around examples of each soil type. After the stuff sacks have been passed around, ask the group to identify the soil types and which would be good to build a fire on. Have the following list for people to refer to. Litter – leaves, twigs and other organic matter on top of ground. Duff – decomposing litter, compacted or compressed, usually found under the litter. It is flammable but burns slowly without a flame. Mineral Soil – inorganic materials, sand gravel and stones. It is generally found under duff.
Types of Fire: It is ideal to have a visual to show the group, if not an actual example use a photograph. Some examples of fires are as follows: established fire ring, beach river fire, pan fire and mound fire.
Fire Building: Discuss these concepts and have examples of tinder, kindling and fuel to show the group. All fuel comes from down wood. Collect it away from the campsite. Discuss what tinder, kindling and fuel is and what are appropriate materials and sizes. Managing Your Campfire: Discuss the following points. Never leave a fire unattended and burn wood completely to ash. Put out your fire the night before. Saturate ash with water and be sure it is cool to the touch. Scatter all ash over a wide area. Restore appearance of fire site.
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