In "To Build a Fire" Jack London's iconic protagonist knows how to build a fire but in his rush to build it, he overlooks subtle but critical aspects, like placement, and as the snow falls from the tree into his fire, his confidence collapses into desperation and the fragility of his existence is exposed.
Please join Chocorua Lake Conservancy on Saturday, March 21 from 10 AM–12 PM, for To Build a Fire: Survival Fire Skills at Charlotte C. Browne Woods on Washington Hill Road, with naturalist Kyle Ball, for kids 4 and up with a caregiver, and adults of any age!
In this family-friendly event, we will explore outdoor fire building so we don't end up like London's character. We will talk about how to keep ourselves, others and the landscape safe as we build a fire. We will identify common tree and herbaceous species and talk about how each one may help or hinder the fire building process or even be harmful to the people around the fire. We’ll discuss where to place the fire in the landscape or a hypothetical survival shelter to prevent accidentally spreading it or extinguishing it.
We’ll also talk about how you should actually construct the fire itself (material type, amount and size, layout, structure, smoke management, creating a flame), about using hot rocks to cook, sanitize water, and spread the heat into your shelter so you can be warmed in multiple directions, and discuss mindset in a survival situation. Feel free to bring food to cook over the fire and hangout after the structured program ends. Every child will go home with their own primitive fire building kit to practice.
Kyle Ball. | Juno Lamb
Please dress appropriately for the weather, wear good walking shoes, and bring water and a snack or lunch. You may wish to bring sun protection. Sliding scale tickets for adults, free for kids, and space is limited. Please register in advance above so that we can let you know of any changes in the schedule. Rain/storm date will be Sunday, March 22.
Kyle Ball taught Dendrology for four semesters while studying for his undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of New Hampshire. He has been interested in plants and foraging for 20 years. His other passion is wildlife tracking. He teaches wildlife tracking through his company New England Wildlife Tracking and also facilitates free tracking outings for the Bearcamp Trackers in Tamworth, NH.
Banner image: Toasting bread over a fire at a Wonders of Wood workshop. Photo: Sumac Grant-Johnson