The twig bundle fire

This type of fire is used when you cant or don't have the time to split and prepare kindle. The idea is that you use small sized twigs instead. The most important thing when using this method is to make sure all your twigs are dry. If they are not dry enough you will have a lot of trouble lighting the fire. Don't pick any from the ground but from dead branches and dead standing wood.

Preperation:

As with all fire laying methods preparation is the key.

First you need to gather your bundle of twigs. try to get them between pencil lead and pencil size.

Next you need to get a few thicker pieces for a platform and another for a brace. The platform is firstly to keep the coals up of the ground. The Brace is used to help keep the fuel from smothering the tinder and helps in getting air into the fire.

You also need something that will hold the bundles together long enough for them to take light. Here I used a willow wand.

Next you will need some tinder.

To keep the fire sustained gather as much fuel as you will need to last you.


Method:

Split your twigs into 2 bundles with the thick ends at the bottom and the thin ends at the top. The idea is that you put the 2 bundles together with one bundle having all the thick ends up and the other all the thick ends down. Then you can tie them up with your bark, roots, willow wands etc.

Lay your tinder on top of the platform and light it with whatever method you are using and gently place the bundle over the lit tinder until it takes light. Then add increasingly larger bits of fuel until you have a well established fire.

The base and brace in the fire pit:



2 bundles ready to put together with thick ends either side:



The bundle was tied together with willow wands.



I used char cloth and dried grass with a few wood shavings for my tinder:



Putting the bundle on to the lit tinder:






atb

Craig