CATEGORIES
CATEGORIESFire spellbinds us, even on sweltering summer nights. Whether we’ve got marshmallows to roast or water to boil, something primal burns deep in our psyche: an ancient fascination with fire. Bust out these 10 fire facts at your next campfire and you’ll be sure to spark blazing conversation.
Generating enough heat for thorough combustion means hot, fast and concentrated BTUs. Find snap-crackle-pop twigs or make slivers 4”-6” long; at least two fistfuls for good measure both in campfire and grilling situations.
Wood is a mash-up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and small amounts of inorganic ash. Combustion yields carbon dioxide and water in equal parts, throwing off 8600 BTUs per pound from hardwoods – about the same as the solar energy that produced it. Campfire or fireplace, think in pounds to extend incendiary sessions.1
“Charcoal” is almost a generic term, with preformed briquettes squaring off against natural hardwood lumps. While briquettes are often chemical science projects that include starch, sawdust and incendiary sodium nitrate, they do burn cheaply and consistently. Lumps are natural, taking more tweaking to get comparable results. Choose your fuel and make it work.
Barbecue, particularly smoking meats, takes a wood’s character seriously. Rip past hickory and oak to energize the taste of beef, pork and chicken. For example, almond yields a sweet smoke flavor, walnut imparts deep piquancy and grapevines lean to tart overtones.2
Paper isn’t always the right accelerant. Coated and colored papers contain chemicals and/or coatings that render them ineffective. Ditto for coated cardboards. Old school newsprint does well if not overly compressed; balling or rolling loosely works best.
Matches are the traditional, post-pioneer ignition method. Active Junky prefers safety, strike-on box sticks for safety and reliability. Extended-shaft wooden matches increase burn potential, keeping fingers farther and eyebrows less prone to torch; 4” versions balance strength with burn time.
The updrafts of chimney structures promote strong burning and faster progression to self-sustaining coals. Creating a cylinder structure is the first choice, ventilating from the bottom with a blowpipe is the second.
New pressed-and-formed logs, fabricated from renewable biomass, up the odds of success while reducing pollutants. Some function well from fireplace to campsite and are worth toting in (fewer go farther) if the area’s fragile or picked clean.
Campfires need their own space, so back off – at least five feet in every direction. Clear a 10’ diameter circle to minimize unwanted escalation of the fire; using existing circles is preferable.3
Extinguishing fires trumps making them in many cases. Reducing the oxygen level and carbon-based fuel is a start, use water to reduce the combustion potential. Or stand by for a sonic solution to wrapping up the pyrotechnic party.4
Sources:
1http://www.epa.gov/burnwise/workshop2011/WoodCombustion-Curkeet.pdf
2http://www.bbqdan.com/grilling/wood_for_grilling.html
3http://www.accuweather.com/en/features/summer-activities/10-tips-for-building-a-safe-ca/68000
4http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/2015/apr/02/dousing-flames-with-low-frequency-sound-waves
