# What makes a campfire so special?



## Renegade (Sep 11, 2007)

This is an article I took from outdoornebraskdotcom:
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Nebraska Outdoor Notebook

by Tom Keith

What's So Special About A Campfire?
One of the things I've always enjoyed most about camping is the campfire. It doesn't matter what season, what time of day, or what the weather is, the first thing I do when I set up camp is build a fire.

The campfire has a certain magic of its own that is important when you are camping. It is the gathering place where all of the people you are camping with come to eat, drink coffee, make plans for the day. Later that evening, they meet there again to rehash everything that happened during the day and plan again for the next.

It's the place where the kids feel safe, especially at night when the rest of the unfamiliar outdoor world with all of it's strange noises is cloaked in darkness.

It's a place where you can warm your hands and feet, where wet clothing and boots can be dried, and where smoke from the fire will help protect the campers from biting and stinging bugs.

Campfire smoke smells wonderful and like Hoppe's No. 9 gun oil, has a distinctive odor that makes you think of being outdoors wherever or whenever you get a whiff of it. In my opinion, if someone made a woman's perfume that smelled like a campfire, it would take over the market.

To the real campfire smoke, add the delicate aromas of coffee boiling, bacon, potatoes, onions and fish frying, or steaks grilling above glowing coals and you have a camping trip worth remembering.

It seems to me that anything cooked over a campfire tastes better than it would cooked on a kitchen stove. My dogs think so too, they always get to sample the roasted hot dogs, barbecued chicken, and grilled burgers we enjoy in the evenings when we're camping.

And, every camper should take it upon themselves to insist that every one of their children and grandchildren spend at least a few evenings each year sitting around the campfire hearing and telling ghost stories and roasting marshmallows.

One of the secrets of building a great campfire is to choose good wood to feed it.

The best firewood gives off good heat, is easy to burn, easy to split, gives off little smoke and few sparks. Among the best woods are:

Apple burns slowly and steadily when dry, with little flame but good heat. Smells good.

Ash is excellent, a very good burning wood, produces both flame and heat.

Birch produces good heat and smells good but burns rather quickly.

Cedar is good when dry. It pops and snaps, burns easily and produces a medium heat. It smells good.

Cherry burns slowly with medium heat and smells good.

Hard maple burns well and produces high heat.

Soft maple burns well, produces medium heat.

Walnut burns well, produces medium heat and smells good.

Hickory produces high heat and is easy to burn.

Red and white oak produce high heat and little smoke.

Douglas fir produces high heat but also heavy smoke.

Spruce is abundant but produces only low heat and medium smoke.

Seasoned wood with a moisture content of 15-20 percent burns best. Unseasoned wood provides less heat because some of the energy stored in it is needed to vaporize the water and drive if off. If you must use green wood, the smaller you split it, the better it will burn.

Camping with the family can be one of the least expensive and most enjoyable activities available to you. Look for more information about camping in Nebraska at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission's Web site at http://www.OutdoorNebraska.org.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

I love a good campfire. Why?
No remote control. 
No commercials.
It requires tending.
Moderation is best.
No pretense.
Inspires contemplation.

As a scout leader in today's world, we are pretty much banned from campfires, which is sad. No campfires at council camps. Forest Service burning bans most of the summer. Firewood from the store or construction site just isn't the same. Urban living I suppose. I remember at scout camp as a kid in Idaho - we didn't have camp chef stoves, and colman stoves were banned - so we did all of our cooking - on a campfire. It was good. It was better than good. It was perfect.


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## Guns and Flies (Nov 7, 2007)

Fire Good, fire restriction bad. Camping just isn't the same without a fire.


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## Nor-tah (Dec 16, 2007)

Good thread! I love campfires especially at deer camp.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

> Scout camp without a campfire!?!


I miss it. When the day is done, there is nothing better to wind down than around a camp fire. More about life can be taught to boys sitting around poking the fire, than in classrooms where more and more scout activities take place. Just sitting around the fire listening to the boys talk among themselves is a treat - learning what they are interested in, what struggles they are having, what goes on at schools, all that stuff. And for some reason, without the fire, it just doesn't happen. Those not accostomed to camping and the outdoors don't get it. And those that are, know exactly what I'm talking about.


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## Renegade (Sep 11, 2007)

You know I spend a bout 10 days in the summer up in the Uintas & another 10 days in the fall, and it just now dawned on me about the restrictions in the summer. 

That does suck, especially for the scouts. That just ain't right.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

> That does suck, especially for the scouts. That just ain't right.


Tell me about it. To teach the boys how to build a campfire and pass them off for their rank advancement, we had to do it in the neighborhood park, in a raised bbq grate/grill thingy.


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## Loke (Sep 7, 2007)

My greatest frustration as a scout leader, were the dads that would "help" by bringing their motorhomes and fire up the DVD player after dinner.


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## fixed blade XC-3 (Sep 11, 2007)

I used to love campfires untill last night. Those things are pure evil. Go look in the photography section and look at my picture of the campfire. You will never think the same of campfires. :|


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## scott_rn (Sep 11, 2007)

The title of this thread weirded me out a little. We have a forum member named campfire, and he's a good guy. Took me a minute to figure out "what makes *a* campfire so special?" :lol:

Campfires are great, can't wait for warmer weather.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

GaryFish said:


> > Scout camp without a campfire!?!
> 
> 
> I miss it. When the day is done, there is nothing better to wind down than around a camp fire. More about life can be taught to boys sitting around poking the fire, than in classrooms where more and more scout activities take place. Just sitting around the fire listening to the boys talk among themselves is a treat - learning what they are interested in, what struggles they are having, what goes on at schools, all that stuff. And for some reason, without the fire, it just doesn't happen. Those not accostomed to camping and the outdoors don't get it. And those that are, know exactly what I'm talking about.


As a settlement with USFS and I think Summit County Fire, the local council of scouts had to pay a certain amount, but more importantly teach specific fire safety classes, ban fires at most places and a few other special fire safety covenants were signed rather than make them pay the actual bill of about $5M, the council quickly agreed. So, we take a few camps out in the primitive areas so as to be able to have the full experience.


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## Bears Butt (Sep 12, 2007)

Campfires* ARE* special, no matter if it's just a camping trip with the family, a deer hunt or just plain "don't want to go home yet".

When you really want a special event to be even more special try this: Before the campout, get yourself a one foot (or so) length of copper pipe...I know it's expensive, but it will be re-useable....cut, drill etc. many holes into the pipe...all around it....Then insert an equal length of super cheap garden hose into the pipe. If you purchases a small pipe you will have to cut the hose length wise and twist it into the copper pipe. If you were smart you bought a 3/4th or one inch diameter pipe.

When the camp fire is burning really nice and you are about to tell one of your special stories, just toss the pipe/hose into the fire and begin your story. Within about 30 seconds your fire will be one of multiple colors like the arora borealus. It will last about as long as your story.

Next morning when the ashes are cool, take the pipe out and reuse it for the next fire.

Please...don't leave it in the ashes when you go....litter hurts!

Enjoy!


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## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

I allways thought the question was selfevident. :mrgreen:


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## JAT83 (Sep 9, 2007)

GaryFish said:


> I love a good campfire. Why?
> No remote control.
> No commercials.
> It requires tending.
> ...


Yeah, it's sad. I just got put in as a Scout leader and Camping just isn't the same without fires.


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