fire concealment

anybody have any Ideas on how to conceal a fire at night; If we were in a mountainouse region, occupied by the enemy?

There's a small section in the U.S. Air Force Search and Rescue handbook called "Firecraft undder evasion conditions." It talks about the use of a Dakota fire hole or a trench fire. The Dakota fire hole is made by digging two pits, then joining them with a tunnel at the bottom. You build the fire in one pit and air is drawn in down the other pit and through the tunnel to supply the fire.

The trench fire is simply a trench dug into the ground to put your fire in. The book talks about this being most useful for a group of survivors needing to do their cooking.

One thing the book mentions is that a fire that needs to be concealed should be kept small and used only for cooking, not heat. Also, make sure to bury any unused firewood.

I got the U.S. Air Force Search and Rescue handbook here, or go to the Publications page here at ETS and several of the books available there online have diagrams of the Dakota hole and other useful information.

By the way, I have not had a chance to try these out. I have the book sitting here next to me as I type this.

Use the lizard gambit and international 3 fire distress signal in combination. I don't know who "the enemy" is, but with multiple fires you can watch them investigate the first ones ( build them LARGER than the squaw fire you are using and leave all the Coghlans gear, discount store sleeping bags and Rambo knives we all initially bought as bait. Hopefully, multiple agencies will respond and wind up arguing over jurisdiction while you walk out. The only 'enemy' I've ever encountered in mountainous terrain was the approach of- monday <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

This Doesn't have to do with Concealing a Small Fire Itself, -or Night Fires vs Day. But I've Read that One of the Best Woods to Burn for Minimal Smoke!, -is Elm.

Also, concerning Fire Concealment, -Perhaps Rocks can be Piled Up around the Fire. Plus the Earlier Mentioned Idea of Setting it Down in a Hole or Recess.

And Welcome to the Group and Gang! [color:"black"] [/color] [email]halfmonkey[/email]

It has been a long time since I made a Dakota fire hole but I was impressed with how well it performed. The air draft made the fire burn vigorously, which would keep down smoke. It was an excellent fire for cooking, too.

Steve

I learned to us what we called a "pit fire" as a kid living on the great flatlands of the mid-west. There is usually a rather brisk wind blowing and a normal "on the ground" fire will be very in-efficicient. Either two joined holes or a trench. Two holes works better in very strong winds as you can block off one hole to reduce the draft. Sometimes it is better to put the fire in the upwind hole, sometimes in the downwind hole. Depends on how hot a fire you want, how much wind there is and what type of fuel you are using.

Experiment with it a bit and you will find you can get a very hot fire with just dried grass or very small sticks. But be wary of underground fire as the fire may travel along the roots of grasses and pop up someplace else. As with any fire, be sure it is out before you leave it.

If you're worried about "the enemy" I would assume you're in a military unit, so you should/will have triox tabs, if you're in an E&E situation, the Dakota hole takes some time and can be tricky depending on the soil type. A better idea under those circumstances would be to keep moving untill you link back up with your unit/the friendlies.

Troy

NIIIICE!!! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Wildcard163:

Could be his number 1 caught him with an unnumbered one and was about to give him one when he lit out for the forest and now has to conceal his position.

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Seeking to Do So in a Mountainous Area?! Of Course Many Mountainous Areas often have Little to No Soil, -to Dig into, -Anyway! [color:"black"] [/color] [email]wildcard163[/email]

In a deep southern drawl " What we have here... is a lack of communication." <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Half Monkey did say that he was Doing it in a Mountainous Location, -and Mountainous "Soils" are Often Like That! Often Little to No Soil at All! -Concerning Trying to Dig a Hole towards Concealing your Fire. [color:"black"] [/color] [email]wildcard163[/email]

Wildcard163:

All right, so I don't speak 50's jive very well. Let's try it in more standard terms.

His No. 1= The main lady in his life.

The unnumbered one= A lady he saw, had to have, and got caught with by his number 1.

Was about to give him one= Hit him up the side of the head or do some knife induced pruning to sensitive parts, or shoot him so many times he would look like swiss cheese.

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Scott:

I think he understood you, but not me.

Bountyhunter

Depends on what you mean by "mountainous region". If you mean "on a mountain", then you could be right (but then, there's also not going to be any wood to make a fire, so you are going to rely on a gas stove or butane heater). But there's a considerable amount of trees, soil, etc. along the roadside when I drive from Calgary to Golden, and that's going right through the Canadian Rockies. So I'd consider that "a mountainous region".

In the Appalachians, you can be on the top of a mountain and surrounded by trees (which obviously need soil to grow in).

True, There are many (More or Less) Soiled Regions within Mountainous Areas too! Especially, but Not Strictly Limited to, -Gentler Slopes, Areas Between Individual Peaks, and Gunuine, (or Areas "Passing as"), -Bottomlands!

In These Areas, you Often Will have Soil to Work With! Thank God and Grayhound!

True also, -in the Rocky, Soilless Areas, -You Aren't so Likely to have Major or Sizeable Plant Life. Mere High Altitude Often Accounts for This as Well, though!

So as you've said, -There you Not Only Don't have Soil with which to Dig a Firepit, or any Hole. But you'll Often Not have Readily Accessable Firewood for such Purpose either!

That Said and True, -It's Nevertheless Surprising on How Little Soil!, Major Plant Cover can Grow On!

I Recall Seeing an Excavated Western Appalachian Hillside! Nearly up to the Surface, -was Solid, Bare Rock! On the Excavation's Face. But Just Above that!, -on the Non-Excavated Surface, -Were as Much Trees and Woodcover!, -as you'd See Anywhere Else in our Western PA Appalachians! Yes there was a Woods Floor Soil Cover! But it and any Subsoil were Quite Thin! Yet these Trees Made the Best and Most of it! Seemingly None the Worse for any such "Wear"! I Marvelled on How They Could Actually Grow!, -and so Perfectly Well! On so Much Rock! And so Precious Little Soil! Obviously Shallow Rooted! Yet Not Weak Rooted!

And on Long Abandoned Buildings and Plants (Mfg. I Mean!) Around my Area, -One Commonly Sees Grasses, Weeds, *Shrubs*, and *Trees*!, -Growing ON the Roof or Building! Some have been there so Long!, -that they've Become Rather Sizeable Trees! "Happily" Making the Most of What Little "Soil" there is! Dirt and Dust Gets Blown About and Deposited, -Cracks in Crumbling Stone or Masonry Function as a "Soil"!, -Corroded Old Asphalt Shingles Serve the Same Purpose!, -Even Rusty Cracks in an Old Metal Building!, -might so Fill the Bill! I've Seen Those a Plenty Too! Including Nearly Full Grown Trees on Such! So it's Really Something to Behold! Give Plants an Inch!, (Or Just a Little "Soil"!), -And Watch Them Take a Mile!

This also would somewhat Reinforce your Point. In that you Might Often Find Firewood while out in the Mountains, in even some Pretty Rocky!, Little Soiled!, of Areas! But Many Rocky Areas are again Largely to Entirely, Devoid of either Plant Life or Soils!

So Yes!, -There are some More or Less Soiled Areas, -in Many a Mountainous Area or Range! (As Well as Many Not!). Here you may Well Often have Enough Soil to Work With, -Toward Making a Concealed Fire Pit. [color:"black"] [/color] [email]aardwolfe[/email]

Sorry for the confusion, guys,

I thought somebody misunderstood/missed the fact that my original comment was rather heavy on the jest, my bad.

Troy

wildcard163:

If you think the military is the only place you might become or meet the enemy, you haven't ever had an old style Latin girl friend. I would rather be overmatched by a Filipino knifemaster than a Latin lover angry at me with a blade in her hand. The Filipino will at least be kind enough to finish you off quickly, while the damage a cheated on No. 1 will do will give you a higher voice, loss of body hair, a softer body, and a much mellower disposition.

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/ooo.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

My wife's Mexican background means I know exactly what you're talking about, but I've always managed to stay on her good side. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Troy

yeah they are unpredictable at times, but i have to say spanish girls (least the ones ive known) were some of the best cooks too.

they know how to keep ya happy.

Two words - Lorena Bobbit. 'Nuf said.

NY RAT:

Amen to that brother.

Bountyhunter

Maggot:

I think she was Italian which may be as Latin as you can get.

Bountyhunter

My wife is half-Sicilian. When I get her mad, I tend to sleep with one eye open. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> She, too, is a good cook, and even more important, a good sport. Now, where did I put that Italian Joke Book...