Double check one more time that having a fire here is a good idea and that you've prepped for best results.
Throw a few sparks at the magnesium.
It shouldn't take more than a few good hot sparks to ignite the magnesium, which in turn will ignite the petroleum jelly and cotton.
This in turn will create enough heat to get the small twigs burning, and it just grows from there.
It takes a bit of experience to know what to do to help a struggling fire, but you'll get there.
In the starting phases of getting a fire going your problem will generally be heat and not having enough of it.
It is all about the proper balance of the 4 fire elements discussed in the beginning of this article.
Sometimes it will be helping the fire to breathe.
Sometimes it will be adding smaller pieces of stuff to burn.
Think of it this way - how can I increase the heat of the fire to help it move on to bigger pieces of wood? You'll probably have to add some smaller pieces to the fire before it is self-sustaining on the larger logs.
Congratulations! You have just started a fire without using store-bought matches.
Now you get to keep it going all night.
The trick here, again, is heat.
Keep the hot part of the fire concentrated in its center.
Be careful when adding logs to not disturb the fire too much.
Remember you need to maintain the balance of the four essential elements of fire.
A camp fire is generally a delicate thing and just throwing the next piece of wood on it could very likely ruin it.
Place the next piece or pieces of wood on the fire.
Thinking about giving the fire what it needs will keep you and your friends warm all night.
Once no one will be up to watch the fire, it is best to kill any visible flame.
Your shovel comes in handy here.
A large sturdy stick will do nicely too.
This is easily done by spreading out the hot core of the fire.
Just spread the coals so there is no real concentration of heat.
The flames will quickly die.
Before you leave the camp site, dig up the fire pit and mix the coals around some more.
Continue to dissipate the heat.
Taking away this component of fire will help to ensure it does not "accidentally" re-ignite once you have left.
Removing any fuel from fire site will pretty much guarantee it won't re-ignite.
As always, common sense rules here.
If you don't feel it is safe to leave it, it probably is not.
How much heat the fire site is giving off is a major indicator as to how safe it is to walk away.
Ideally, you want NO heat.
Don't leave the site until there is no heat noticeable heat coming from the area the fire was burning in last night.
Simply burying it does not do.
No smoldering coals, no noticeable heat, no visible smoke.
In closing I will offer one more piece of advice.
Practice these techniques before you need to use them.
Practice will give you confidence in your ability and allow you to hone your own personal style.
Practice will allow you to make mistakes and work out the bugs in private.
Practice will increase your skill to an artist's level.
This has been the final article in a four part series.
Throw a few sparks at the magnesium.
It shouldn't take more than a few good hot sparks to ignite the magnesium, which in turn will ignite the petroleum jelly and cotton.
This in turn will create enough heat to get the small twigs burning, and it just grows from there.
It takes a bit of experience to know what to do to help a struggling fire, but you'll get there.
In the starting phases of getting a fire going your problem will generally be heat and not having enough of it.
It is all about the proper balance of the 4 fire elements discussed in the beginning of this article.
Sometimes it will be helping the fire to breathe.
Sometimes it will be adding smaller pieces of stuff to burn.
Think of it this way - how can I increase the heat of the fire to help it move on to bigger pieces of wood? You'll probably have to add some smaller pieces to the fire before it is self-sustaining on the larger logs.
Congratulations! You have just started a fire without using store-bought matches.
Now you get to keep it going all night.
The trick here, again, is heat.
Keep the hot part of the fire concentrated in its center.
Be careful when adding logs to not disturb the fire too much.
Remember you need to maintain the balance of the four essential elements of fire.
A camp fire is generally a delicate thing and just throwing the next piece of wood on it could very likely ruin it.
Place the next piece or pieces of wood on the fire.
Thinking about giving the fire what it needs will keep you and your friends warm all night.
Once no one will be up to watch the fire, it is best to kill any visible flame.
Your shovel comes in handy here.
A large sturdy stick will do nicely too.
This is easily done by spreading out the hot core of the fire.
Just spread the coals so there is no real concentration of heat.
The flames will quickly die.
Before you leave the camp site, dig up the fire pit and mix the coals around some more.
Continue to dissipate the heat.
Taking away this component of fire will help to ensure it does not "accidentally" re-ignite once you have left.
Removing any fuel from fire site will pretty much guarantee it won't re-ignite.
As always, common sense rules here.
If you don't feel it is safe to leave it, it probably is not.
How much heat the fire site is giving off is a major indicator as to how safe it is to walk away.
Ideally, you want NO heat.
Don't leave the site until there is no heat noticeable heat coming from the area the fire was burning in last night.
Simply burying it does not do.
No smoldering coals, no noticeable heat, no visible smoke.
In closing I will offer one more piece of advice.
Practice these techniques before you need to use them.
Practice will give you confidence in your ability and allow you to hone your own personal style.
Practice will allow you to make mistakes and work out the bugs in private.
Practice will increase your skill to an artist's level.
This has been the final article in a four part series.