Fire lighting is one of the arts you must learn as a Scout for your outdoor activities as you will find it so essential. In order to acquire the skill, you should know:

Site

        The site chosen must be away from buildings and on bare of ground, free from grass and twigs. You may choose a site under a shade to avoid being directly under the sun, but care should be taken not to be too close a trunk or old stump or under low hanging branches. Briefly, the site should be so chosen that it is away from inflammable objects, when lighting under a tree, see that there is no beehive in the tree. If the ground is wet with damp grass, lift a square sod and keep it away from the fire. Make your fire on the place from where the sod is removed. Afterwards when you no longer need the fire, remove the ash and burnt twigs and prepare the ground for putting back the sod and water on it. Thus you will avoid disfiguring any green patch for making a fire.

Fuel

        You should acquire a fine knowledge about the trees which may make good, and quick burring fuel, By and large twigs of thorny Babul, Ber; Pines, casuarinas and the like are good for quick fire. You may collect dry and dead branches from nearby trees for fuel. But never break off green branches and mutilate a tree. Besides the green branches will give out unpleasant smoke. Some of the trees such as mango or tamarind give good quick burning wood but while burning, it gives smoke and unpleasant smell. If possible, use of these types of wood may be avoided.

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Building a fire

        If the ground is damp as a result of dew or rains, make a small platform of fresh green twigs on which the punk or tinder will be laid. The punk is made of dried leaves, bark, thorn, twigs, pinecones or anything, which could be easily ignited. Around the punk thin twigs or fragments of wood should be arranged leaning against each other forming the shape of a tope. This is known as kindling. When the punk is ignited and the kindling starts burning, thicker pieces of log may be put round the kindling.

How to light a fire

        A fuzz or fire stick makes very good kindling. In order to make a fuzz stick you need a piece of dry wood about twelve inches in length. The stick should be held with your left hand by the pointed end and the blunt end should be rested against. Some solid object Whitt long thin strips from the pointed end to about half the way of the sticks. The art of preventing the knife from slicing the shaving completely off the stick consists in letting the knife enter more deeply towards the end of the stroke.

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Put it out

        As soon as you are through cooking, or whatever you are doing with the fire, begin to put it out. This is especially important if you are out for the day and must go away and leave the spot later.

(a) Let fire die down as much as possible
(b) Scatter coals, break up big pieces, knock logs apart.
(c) Stir coals-and sprinkle with water - then stir again. Repeat until there are not live coals - under the logs or in the middle.
(d) If you have no water, put on and or dirt, and stir thoroughly.
(e) When you can press your hand on the spot where the fire was, you know it is out.
(f) Cover with rocks or dirt-and check carefully before you leave.

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