Civilian camp fires, covert-style

[perdurabo]

I spend a lot of time hiking and camping in the woods here in the Northwest. And of course, I encounter a lot of odd folks in these woods. I can count a dozen encounters off the top of my head that range from weird hermits to SHTF.

Aside from taking advantage of terrain, topography, and building bark/rock heat (and light) shields, are there any other techniques for reducing camp fire visual signatures, especially at night, both nearby and from afar?

Fires are nice, but they tend to attract attention, and you're usually close enough that it destroys your night vision and you can't see folks coming til they're practically on-site.

Ideas, thought, suggestions, corrective actions?

[SF_BHT]

Claymores with tripwires.... Keeps out the unwanted visitor either human or Bear...

[perdurabo]

Originally Posted by SF_BHT

Claymores with tripwires.... Keeps out the unwanted visitor either human or Bear...

I dunno, they didn't stop Jesse Ventura in Predator

[Pete]

If you don't want to be found by the casual person, build a small fire with very dry wood before sundown. Eat, put it out and move a short distance just before last light. Then run a dry, dark camp.

Chances are somebody walking along in the late afternoon would smell your fire or hear you breaking wood way before you noticed them.

Again, after dark the smoke could drift a great distance based on weather conditions and wind. You make more noise at night with the wood also.

In average weather fire is a comfort item - not really needed.

[Peregrino]

Originally Posted by Pete

If you don't want to be found by the casual person, build a small fire with very dry wood before sundown. Eat, put it out and move a short distance just before last light. Then run a dry, dark camp.

Chances are somebody walking along in the late afternoon would smell your fire or hear you breaking wood way before you noticed them.

Again, after dark the smoke could drift a great distance based on weather conditions and wind. You make more noise at night with the wood also.

In average weather fire is a comfort item - not really needed.

What Pete said. This is elementary stuff that can be found in any literature from the westward expansion period. (Surviving in "Indian Country".)

[Diablo Blanco]

"white man build big fire, sleep far away, cold all night. Indian make small fire, sleep close, stay warm all night"

Fire keeps many animals away but attracts humans.

Several options here. You could build a dakota fire hole to reduce visible light horizontally. With the right application of a heat reflector you can stay warm all night.

If you want to stay warm and don't have a bunch of rocks to heat up try this. Dig a shallow trench the length of your body and build your fire at one end of it. Start your fire earlier in the day and burn enough wood to cover the bottom of your trench with coals. When it's time for bed, spread the coals out and cover with the dirt you excavated. It'll keep you warm all night. Be careful to use DIRT not rotted leaves and topsoil.

You can also dig a small hole about a foot or so deep next to a tree with a ventilation trough. Build a small fire in there until you get some good coals going. Let the fire burn out. Sleep leaning against the tree with your legs on either side of the trough. If you don't have a tree to lean against just use your ruck.

Be careful with the subterranean fires as you could get a root burning as an ember which can ignite into a full fire days later.

[Sten]

Get something from here and join the 21st century of outdoor living.

http://cascadedesigns.com/msr/stoves...toves/category

Me keep fire small, (i.e., whisper-lite, for cooking and security).

Big white man fire for when I want to get ripped on fire-water and dance around naked.

[BoyScout]

If you sleep next to or against a large boulder that's been out in the sun all day, it'll collect that day's heat and radiate it at night. Not as warm as a fire but it beats nothing.

[SF-TX]

Originally Posted by wet dog

Me keep fire small, (i.e., whisper-lite, for cooking and security).

Big white man fire for when I want to get ripped on fire-water and dance around naked.

LOL.

[Blitzzz (RIP)]

Originally Posted by perdurabo

I spend a lot of time hiking and camping in the woods here in the Northwest. And of course, I encounter a lot of odd folks in these woods. I can count a dozen encounters off the top of my head that range from weird hermits to SHTF.

Aside from taking advantage of terrain, topography, and building bark/rock heat (and light) shields, are there any other techniques for reducing camp fire visual signatures, especially at night, both nearby and from afar?

Fires are nice, but they tend to attract attention, and you're usually close enough that it destroys your night vision and you can't see folks coming til they're practically on-site.

Ideas, thought, suggestions, corrective actions?

I like the Swedish survival fire.
three poles about 4 foot long,laced together with what ever wire you can get like barbed or other
Have the insides of each "shaved ' bury them standing about 1 foot in the ground ( leaves abut 3 feet above the ground.
Start the fire at the inside base of the poles
the fire burns up the middle with minimal flame showing and good intense heat at the top to cook on.
the raising flames reburn the smoke and this fire is nearly smokeless. And difficult to see from the sides.
asthe fire burns you will have to tighten the wires to keep the fire inclosed and burning the best heat. Practice this one in a back yard to get an idea of pole sizes about 3 or 4 inch dia.

[Team Sergeant]

Originally Posted by perdurabo

I spend a lot of time hiking and camping in the woods here in the Northwest. And of course, I encounter a lot of odd folks in these woods. I can count a dozen encounters off the top of my head that range from weird hermits to SHTF.

Aside from taking advantage of terrain, topography, and building bark/rock heat (and light) shields, are there any other techniques for reducing camp fire visual signatures, especially at night, both nearby and from afar?

Fires are nice, but they tend to attract attention, and you're usually close enough that it destroys your night vision and you can't see folks coming til they're practically on-site.

Ideas, thought, suggestions, corrective actions?

You live in the Pacific Northwest, I lived and hiked there also. Anything you build will leave a lingering smoke scent in that temperate forest. You're lucky to find dry wood in the first place.

My attempt at humor failed, bottom line if you don't want company don't build a wood fire, period. That's what combat arms folks do, we don't build fires.Fortunately most of the individuals we're looking for do.

Expect the unexpected and learn to deal with it when it comes. Otherwise stay out of the forest at night.

[perdurabo]

Originally Posted by Team Sergeant

You live in the Pacific Northwest, I lived and hiked there also. Anything you build will leave a lingering smoke scent in that temperate forest. You're lucky to find dry wood in the first place.

My attempt at humor failed, bottom line if you don't want company don't build a wood fire, period. That's what combat arms folks do, we don't build fires.Fortunately most of the individuals we're looking for do.

Expect the unexpected and learn to deal with it when it comes. Otherwise stay out of the forest at night.

I read you.

The forests are full of meth heads, crack zombies, and other assorted oddities in these parts.

[Blitzzz (RIP)]

Damn adal one could get pretty dizzy trying that one...

[Blitzzz (RIP)]

This may be the wrong thread,but I was helping my son move some of his stuff (Don't Ask).inito my shed and one piece i saw made me think it should be a no brainer for survival carry. It's the wielders flint fire starter.(I don't know it's name). Spring handle attached to a metal cup with a flint holder and striker . always makes a good spark, and the cup will hold tinder. Just a thought.