Ignite Your Outdoor Adventures
Scout Fire Uses and Layouts
Campfires are an important part of traditional Scout campcraft, providing opportunities for cooking, warmth, light and outdoor activities. Learning how to choose the right fire lay helps Scouts understand how different fire designs can be adapted for cooking, heating, group activities and different outdoor conditions.
What is a fire lay?
A fire lay is the way you arrange your fuel (tinder, kindling, and firewood) before lighting a fire. The layout you choose affects how easily the fire lights, how much heat it produces, how long it burns, and what it is best suited for.
A fire lay is built using three main materials:
- Tinder – The smallest, easiest-to-ignite material, such as dry grass, birch bark, char cloth, feather sticks, or cotton wool.
- Kindling – Small twigs and sticks that catch fire from the tinder and build the flame.
- Fuel wood – Larger sticks and logs that keep the fire burning.
Why use different fire lays?
Different situations call for different fire lays:
- Quick cooking: A teepee fire provides fast, hot flames.
- Long-lasting warmth: A log cabin or long fire burns steadily.
- Fuel efficiency: A Dakota fire hole uses less wood and produces less smoke.
- Overnight heat: A star fire allows logs to be pushed in gradually as they burn.
- Campfire gatherings: A pyramid or log cabin fire creates a stable, attractive fire.
Common Types of Fire Lay
Log cabin Fire
A log cabin fire lay is one of the most popular campfire structures used in Scouting and bushcraft.
It is built by stacking sticks or logs in alternating layers, creating a square "log cabin" shape with the tinder and kindling placed in the centre. This design provides excellent airflow, making it reliable and easy to maintain.
Common Types of Fire Lay
Teepee Fire
A Teepee Fire Lay (also called a Tipi Fire) is one of the simplest and most effective campfire structures. It is widely used in Scouting, bushcraft, and camping because it lights quickly, produces a strong flame, and is ideal for boiling water or starting a larger fire.
The Teepee Fire Lay is built by standing small sticks upright in a cone shape around a bundle of tinder, much like the shape of a traditional teepee tent. As the fire burns, the sticks collapse inward, feeding the flames and allowing the fire to continue burning efficiently.
Common Types of Fire Lay
Long Fire
A Long Fire Lay is a traditional campfire design made by building a long, narrow fire between or alongside two larger logs. It was widely used by woodsmen, explorers, and Scouts because it provides a broad, even source of heat rather than concentrating the warmth in one small area.
The long fire is ideal for keeping several people warm, drying clothing, and cooking over a long section of flame.
Common Types of Fire Lay
Dakota Hole Fire
A Dakota Hole Fire (also known as a Dakota Fire Pit) is a highly efficient underground fire lay designed to burn hot while using less fuel and producing less visible smoke than an open campfire. It consists of two connected holes: one for the fire and another that acts as an air intake, creating a natural draft that feeds oxygen to the flames.
Originally used by military personnel and later adopted by campers, bushcrafters, and Scouts, the Dakota Hole Fire is valued for its efficiency, especially in windy conditions.
Common Types of Fire Lay
Star Fire
A Star Fire Lay, also known as a Star Fire, is a traditional campfire built by arranging several large logs like the spokes of a wheel, with their ends meeting in the centre. The fire is started in the middle, and as the logs burn, they are gradually pushed inward to keep the fire going.
This simple but effective design has been used for centuries by woodsmen, trappers, and campers because it burns efficiently, requires little preparation, and allows you to control the fire without constantly adding new wood.
Common Types of Fire Lay
Pyramid Fire
A Pyramid Fire Lay is a campfire built by stacking logs in progressively smaller layers to form a pyramid shape. The largest logs are placed on the bottom, with each layer becoming smaller until tinder and kindling are placed at the top. The fire is then lit from the top, allowing it to burn downward through the layers.
This fire lay produces a long-lasting, steady fire with an excellent bed of embers, making it a popular choice for campfires, cooking, and Scout activities.
Fire Safety Guidelines
What precautions should be taken before lighting a fire?
Ensure the area is clear of flammable materials, have water or sand ready to extinguish the fire, and check local regulations.
How can scouts prevent fire accidents?
Maintain a safe distance from the fire, never leave it unattended, and always supervise younger scouts.
What should be done if a fire gets out of control?
Immediately alert others, use water or sand to extinguish the flames, and call for emergency assistance if necessary.
How to safely extinguish a campfire?
Pour water over the fire, stir the ashes with a stick, and ensure all embers are completely cooled before leaving the site.
Why is it important to follow fire safety rules?
Adhering to safety rules prevents injuries, protects the environment, and ensures a safe experience for everyone involved.
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