Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Building and sustaining a fire is one of the most valuable survival skills, but it's challenging when you have to get one going in cold and wet conditions. Things become even worse when it’s actively raining.
The good news is that it can be done. As this video by Corporals Corner explains, you can build and sustain a fire in the rain. Here's a brief summary of his advice…
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Choose The Right Location
You need to be very selective about your location because otherwise, the rain will quickly douse it out. Light rain should be okay, but for pouring rain conditions, this is especially important.
Therefore, look for a place where the flow of rain will be stopped or hindered. Examples include under boughs from trees, or better yet, you can set up a tarp or emergency blanket over the fire by suspending it between two trees.
Find Dry Kindling
While you may get lucky and find some dry moss or tinder underneath bushes or trees, your best bet is to create your own. Find a stick or pole, and using a knife or sharp edge, shave it down to the dryer insides. These will convert a spark into a flame more easily.
Also, it’s wise to include kindling or other flammable materials in your survival kit. Cotton balls dipped in Vaseline are very flammable, as is hand sanitizer.
Get Your Fire Up From The Ground
Set multiple sticks and poles on the ground to elevate your fire from the soggy and moist ground. Even if the sticks are themselves wet, this will be better than nothing at all.
Specifically, set thick sticks on the ground about six inches apart from one another so they run parallel. Then place four more thinner sticks across the base between the two sticks, and keep them around a half-inch to an inch apart from one another. Then continue to place more sticks to create a small platform.
Another option is to dig further into the earth until you reach dryer ground. If anything, this will work better than the above method of creating a small wooden platform.
Build A Teepee Fire
If possible, try to set up your fire in the form of a teepee. Take small sticks and place them upright so they rest against one another. Then place your tinder or kindling inside the teepee and light it up. This will be a much more effective method than just getting your fire started out in the open.
Keep in mind that most fires in the rain will be smaller than ones outside of the rain, and that’s okay. What matters is that you get one going. It may be difficult, but with the above method, it can be done.
Collect Dry Wood And Fuel As You Travel
This is especially important if you see storm clouds in the sky. Collect dry fuel while you still have time and cover it up in a blanket or tarp to keep it dry. This can be a lifesaver later on.
For more tips on building a fire in the rain and to see these methods demonstrated, watch the video by Corporals Corner below.
Originally published on Homestead Survival Site.
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