Fire Fun, Smoke Snuffing

So, how often have you gathered around a campfire with a group of friends only to have the fun sucked out by that smoke billow that seems to follow you wherever you sit? Growing up, we used to say that smoke followed whoever was the best/hottest person. Fake flattery aside, it’s still no fun to be engulfed in smoke, when you want to relax.

Now, as I have become more learned in the ways of fire, I’ve figured out that so often we commit a sin again fire that causes it to spew grey billows our way. We anger it… Fire’s desire? Proper air flow.

From my Army survival manual, I learned how to make a Dakota Fire Pit. Sure, while trapped out in enemy territory, a soldier may need to make a fire, one doesn't want to give a position away, so it makes sense to dig a hole for a fire. But, there lies in the problem. Fires draw in their air from the bottom. By placing a fire in a hole, you essentially choke the fire. When a fire lacks oxygen, it creates more smoke.
The Dakota Fire Pit solves this problem by having you dig a smaller, adjacent hole next to the fire pit. And then connect the two holes with a tunnel. This allows the fire to draw oxygen from the tunnel in order to feed it, which has a twofold effect. It gives the fire air, and it also creates less smoke. 

So often, we have similar problems when we create campfires. (And this also is a problem with grills.) Many fire pits are nothing more than an elevated hole in the ground. (Or, grills are nothing but charcoals sitting at the bottom of a plugged up bowl.) Thus, bothersome smoke often accompanies
what should be a pleasant experience. Taking cues from the Dakota Fire Pit, we can apply these techniques to our campfires. The simplest solution to create a fire with less smoke is to raise the fire off the ground with a grate-like fixture. Once at a garage sale, I found a cast-iron grate from fireplace. I use in my fire pit., and it works great.

But, what if you’re out camping and you don’t have such an option? There are a few other techniques you can employ. One, you can stack your wood on a pile of spaced rocks. This helps draw air from the bottom. Or, if rocks are not available, you can stack a few layers of crisscrossed sticks at the bottom of a campfire. Sure, eventually, they’ll catch on fire, but in the meantime, you can enjoy less smoke as you soak in the heat of the hotter burning fire. 

Another trick I learned from my handy-dandy Army survival manual: by digging a cross-shaped trench beneath your fire extending well past the diameter of your fire, you allow fire to pull in air from various direction. And, if there is a breeze from various directions, the wind will follow one of the channels to feed you fire. If you build your own home fire pit, you could incorporate this design into. Perhaps even place a grate over the intersection of the cross. Or, you can dig the cross-like trench beneath campsite fire rings (now I’ve never tried this, and I know many campsite fire pits have concrete bottoms making this impossible).

However you cook it, I hope these tips help your campfire experience from going up in smoke.