Banking the fire

[Joel/Calgary]

To whom it may concern:
I realize that this discussion concerns starting fire anew. At the risk of some further thread drift, I'd like to raise one point for completeness. If one is is at one location for some time (established camp, home, etc.), a bit of care banking the fire at the end of the evening should leave some coals remaining in the morning which can be used to start the next day's fire. My brother and I got well practiced at this in the somewhat-old (1847) Massachusetts farmhouse my grandparents had bought, as the "Franklin" fireplace insert was the main heat source. I don't recall any particular efforts to bank the fire at night, and sometimes there were no coals left so we had to get a match (no one was into primitive fire lighting at that time). They finally got electricity in and put in baseboard heating when I was around 10 (yeah, we'd had to do our fire lighting under my grandfather's supervision), and the fireplace insert became an auxiliary heat source. I recall reading accounts of banking the fires in boilers and such at night for similar fire-starting coals.

Regards,
Joel

 

[BrownBear]

Good observation and insights into your region and lifestyle.

Fire banking gets real "interesting" in an open fire pit, compared to boilers and wood stoves. There are lots of variables including wood type, "history" of the fire (i.e., how much wood has been burned for how long before banking), and weather. Mix them well, and you can bank almost any fire and have coals waiting in the morning, or in the evening if you've banked in the morning.

Not saying I'm an expert even after a lifetime of doing it. But one insight is worth pursuing for anyone learning how: Look into how charcoal is made. The principles are really similar.

 

[Preacher Jeremy]

My only concern about banking up an open pit fire before bed,is who is awake to make sure it don't get out of hand, or spread someplace unwanted. (Such as your tent) Don't get me wrong, I love a good camp fire, but the thought of an unattended fire scares the manure out of me. :shake:

 

[BrownBear]

...the thought of an unattended fire scares the manure out of me.

For good reason. There are definitely times and places not to do it.

 

[MDK_WV]

Banking the fire is an art as much as it is science. Restrict the airflow to something that is burning and the burn rate will slow. Not enough airflow and it will go out, too much air and it will consume the fuel and also go out.
Every fire is different, if you are in a camp, excavate a hole to build your campfire so you can cover it to restrict the airflow. Build a fire pit with rocks if you can't dig. Wet or damp material can be used to cover it and restrict the air flow.
My father-in-law, would turn the damper to almost closed on the old burnside stove he used to heat his house to "bank the fire" at night after he had loaded it down with coal. The next morning, open the damper up and the bung hole let it get started and then place some coal on the fire.
I work in the construction business and when clearing and burning where it is allowed, we will burn during the day, cover the fire with dirt with a very small opening in the top at the end of the shift. The next morning dig the dirt off the brush, start stacking more brush on top and keep burning. We "banked" our fire with an excavator and dirt.

 

[tenngun]

I've been as much as 10 days in a camp with only starting a fire my first night,then rekindling off of coals. Here in the ozarks its mosty oak and hicorry and they hold fire well. Kept a wood house stove for 30 years and it was rare to light a fire between dec and march.
I always bank on a camp and always sleep so I can see it.

 

[satx78247]

IF you are worried about having live coals in the chilly morning, lay a green length of black locust 6 or more inches in diameter (presuming that locust grows in your area) on the fire before retiring. - You'll have plenty of hot/red coals to cook breakfast over & plenty to start any size fire, too.

Many a cold NE TX night, I've slept by the fire with only one light wool blanket & remained "quite toasty".

yours, satx

 

[JKinTX]

Old saying:
"White man build big fire and stand back, stay cold.
Indian build small fire and sit close, stay warm".

 

[satx78247]

VERY TRUE.

yours, satx

 

[fusil de chase]

I never had much luck with purposeful banking but I have lots of luck with a huge pile of tinder and small sticks dried by the evening fire and kept away from dew and rain. Sometimes it gets lit by a dug up coal but usually with a bic lighter, all is roaring in a jiffy! Bad coffee addiction so fast morning fire is crucial to the health and well being of camp mates.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

My only concern about banking up an open pit fire before bed,is who is awake to make sure it don't get out of hand, or spread someplace unwanted. (Such as your tent) Don't get me wrong, I love a good camp fire, but the thought of an unattended fire scares the manure out of me.

At most if not all of the events that I attend, there is an overnight firewatch as part of the "dog soldiers", and if they find a fire unattended (meaning nobody is next to it asleep or awake) then then are to douse that fire. When I performed this duty, I only found two such fires, but they may have been "banked" and flared up due to winds... no idea if that was the intent, but when I found them they were cherry blazes. OH and I did wait a bit to be sure some poor soul hadn't simply gone to the privvy for a few minutes before I doused the flames.

LD

 

[Alden]

A banked fire looks very different from an abandoned one. Sounds like you NEEDED fire marshalls...

 

[satx78247]

GOOD PLAN.
(One of the things that our "ragtag group of behind the scenes folks" do is watch for out of control or unattended fires.)

yours, satx

 

[Woodyrock]

Banking a fire with coal is pretty easy. When the fire is down to good bed of glowing, but not flaming coals you cover the coals with a good layer of slack. (Slack is coarse coal dust)

With a wood fire you need good hardwood coals burned down to the glowing but not flaming stage, and cover with a good blanket of ash. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we add a sheet of tin roofing to keep the rain off until morning.

Me, I have never been to a rendezvous, so the warning about fire out is a good one for me. I would likely be hunting the poor soul that poured water on my banked fire. A well banked fire is a godsend of a cold morning, since it takes but a wee stirring and some small wood a top to have a nice blaze going.
Woody