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Student Process Essay #2 |
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Student Process Essay #2 |
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Going camping can be a fun and exciting activity for the whole family. I’ve been camping ever since I can remember and we have always had a camp fire, but we would always have a hard time getting it started. During fire prevention week one year in school, they told us that a fire needed oxygen to get started. The next time we went camping I tried a new way of starting and keeping a camp fire going, it works every time and will stay going longer also.
The first thing I do after I set up the tent and get the camp site set up is dig a fire pit to contain your fire to one area so it won’t spread and burn anything else up. A good spot for your fire pit is a place that isn’t too close to any trees or tents or camping supplies. After you find a good spot, dig a fire pit about a foot to a foot and a half deep by about three or four feet wide. This makes sure that your fire is contained, and in most states it is the law that a fire must be in a pit of some sort.
After you get your fire pit dug, get the kids involved so they will have a good time also. Go into the woods to collect some fire wood, and be sure it is dry because wet wood will not burn as long and is harder to get started. I like to get logs that are about a foot long and a few inches thick. Don’t get really thick wood because it may take longer to catch on fire, and your fire may go out. While out in the woods, look for some small dry twigs, branches or even some dry leaves that you can use for kindling to get your fire started.
Once you have the wood and kindling, head back to your camp site. When you get back, before you start your fire, put some big rocks or something noncombustible along the outer edge of your fire pit. This way, if your fire does start to get a little wild, your rock barrier will contain it until you can get it under control.
Now that you have a safe and proper fire pit, you are ready to build your fire. Lay a little bit of your kindling in a small pile in the middle of your pit. Make sure that there is a little space between the ground and the kindling, so when you do start your fire, it has some room to breathe. After you have your kindling in place, you can start putting on your wood. But wait a minute, you don’t want to just throw your wood on top; stack it in the shape of a teepee or pyramid so that there is some air between the wood and kindling. This is very important, as it allows the fire to breathe: in order for a fire to stay lit, it needs air to survive.
Now that you have your kindling and fire wood set up, you need something to light your kindling with. There are a few ways you can do this: one, you can cheat and use a lighter or matches, but where is the fun in that? Two, you can grab a couple of sticks and rub them together until they start smoldering. Third, you can get two rocks and hit them together, causing a spark. I like the last two myself, so the kids can have some fun trying to get it to start.
However you decide to start the fire, the next step is very important. Lean down and start the kindling; it will start to smoke and smolder at first. Once it starts to do that, gently blow on the kindling. Knowing that a fire needs air to survive, by blowing on it, you are giving it the air that it needs, and you will have a nice safe fire. The key to keeping your fire going is when you add more wood, place it on the already started fire instead of throwing it on as that may cause it to go out.
Now you have a safe and contained fire; however, it would still be a good idea to have a bucket of water or a fire extinguisher close by.
The only thing you have to do now is bring some chairs out and break out the hotdogs and smore’s and enjoy the night with your family.