Wilderness Survival by Gregory J. Davenport

Author:Gregory J. Davenport
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Safety, Health & Fitness, Sports & Recreation, Outdoor Skills
ISBN: 9780811732925
Publisher: STACKPOLE Company
Published: 2005-11-15T07:00:00+00:00

Fire bundle

FIRE BED

In extremely cold temperate or desert environments, a fire bed will help keep you warm during the night. It takes about two hours to prepare. Used in large shelters or when none is available, the heat generated from these beds has been known to last as long as two days.

Dig a 4- to 6-inch-deep rectangle that is big enough for you to lie in. Since the heat will radiate outward, you may make the area smaller if digging is hard. If available, line the bottom with flat rocks (avoid rocks that contain moisture). Build a long fire inside the large rectangular hole. As the fire grows, spread out the wood until it evenly covers the whole area and let it burn for one to two hours before you stop feeding it new fuel. Once only coals remain, spread them out so they cover the bottom of the hole evenly. Next, place dirt over the coals, stamping it down as you go, until there is approximately 4 inches of it covering the bed. To make sure the dirt covering is enough, push your whole index finger into the dirt that is over the coals. If your fingertip can’t handle the heat, add more dirt. Finally, cover the fire bed with an insulating material like duff, boughs, or leaves. Make sure there aren’t any loose embers that may ignite your insulation bed. Sleeping on this soft, warm fire bed will take the bite out of most cold nights. Once a bed has been created, this process can be repeated as needed. Subsequent fire beds will be easier to make since the dirt will require less energy to remove.

SURVIVAL TIPS

Although deserts are known for hot days, don’t be fooled into thinking the nights are the same. Temperature extremes are common in deserts. Knowing how to build a fire may help take the chill off that evening air. Once you have finished building a shelter, take the time to collect fire-building materials. You’ll be happy you did.

In hot environments, protect your skin from the elements. Wearing a wide-brimmed hat that also covers the neck will cool you significantly. Sunglasses will help decrease eyestrain and damage from the glaring sun, and loose-layered clothes covering skin work better than sunscreen. In addition, it is strongly advisable to avoid the harmful midday sun whenever you can.

To avoid the dreaded morning ritual of putting on frozen stiff boots, before bed place your boots inside a stuff sack that is turned inside out and sleep with them behind the bend in your knees.

Remove all damp or wet clothes prior to going to bed. Those that are slightly damp can be placed inside your bag behind the bend in your knees to be dried by your radiant heat. Since bags work by trapping dead air, make sure to fluff them prior to getting inside. Exercising and eating a protein snack before bed will help your body to produce the needed heat to keep you warm once inside your bag.

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