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| This Activity is meant for Boy Scouts, Webelos scouts. Decide for yourself if it is appropriate for your younger scouts or not. | |
| Required: | tinder, kindling, fuelwood matches string (optional) fire platform and wire hangers |
| Notes: | The scouts I've been involved with consistently make 'flat' fire lays which don't work very well. Learning to lay a fire up instead of out is important and this activity helps that understanding. |
| Each patrol collects fuel, builds a fire, and tries to be first to burn through a string suspended over the fire. Time deductions can be given for each match used, for adding more wood, for rearranging the original fire lay. For a more structured setup, make fire platforms.
You may also provide a set amount of tinder, kindling, and fuel to each group if you want to concentrate on the fire lay rather than the luck of finding good wood. Instead of burning through a string, a wire cup holder can be made and suspended between the hanger wires for a water boiling competition. A fast, hot fire is needed for string burning, while a hot, sustained fire is needed to boil water, so adding wood should not be a deduction. | |
Fire Building, String Burning, Water Boiling Activity 
