Most people start to get bored once they get vacations. Although, you should note that one of the best options, in this case, is going out on a trip. Instead of wasting your time sitting in your house, people can explore new areas. You get to make new memories with your loved ones while also having a lot of fun. Although, there are lots of things that you should understand before you go out on a long trip.
If you are thinking about staying for a night on your trip. Then having equipment that will help you survive will be necessary. Talking about this, the temperature drops down quite a lot during the night. This is why it is essential that you have blankets and thick clothes will you to keep yourself warm. Aside from this, another popular option that people go with is making a campfire.
Campfires
Campfires are one of the most used sources of both heat and light used by campers during the night. You can even use a campfire for cooking if needed. All the heat produced by them ensures that everyone sitting around it is kept warm. While these campfires might be amazing, starting them up can be a hassle.
Beginners should understand that there are a lot of steps that they have to go through even before the campfire has started. This includes gathering large logs of wood as well as small twigs. You might even have to use fuel to keep the fire burning. Although, once you have done all of this a few times, starting a campfire can start to get easier.
Now that you understand all of this, one question that many people ask is “How to bank a campfire?”. The term “bank” here refers to protecting the burning flame using ashes or small stones. Protecting the fire overnight using these stones will keep it warm enough so that you can use it to start the campfire again the next morning. This takes out most of the trouble of having to start the fire again.
How to Bank A Campfire
If you are interested in banking your campfire then there are a few steps that you will have to go through. This includes having a burning fire as wells as pieces of sticks and wood. Finally, having a shovel with you can be necessary if you are going to make a large fire. This is because reaching into the massive flame without a shovel can be too dangerous. Once you have everything gathered with you, the user can then start going through the steps mentioned below.
1. Checking the Fire
The first thing that you have to do is ensure is that you have some logs that have become red embers. Additionally, you will have to check that the flame has burnt out and left ashes that can be used.
2. Separating Coal and Ashes Using A Stick
Use your shove or a large stick to separate the ashes from the coal. Make sure that you keep your distance and poking around the campfire for a few minutes should allow you to separate them. These should all be moved to one corner as this will make it easier to bank them.
3. Adding Pieces of Wood
This step is completely optional and most people tend to ignore it. Although, following it will help you when trying to start your fire the next day. You can start by adding small pieces of wood to your burning fire. This will both keep the flame going as well as ensure that all the moisture from the wood is taken out. Drying out the wooden planks makes them easier to start fires with.
4. Covering Wood with Ash
Finally, the last thing that you have to do is to scoop all the embers on your coal and wood. This is where the shovel is essential. Keep in mind that all the ash will keep both the coals and wood warm. This is almost as if you have left the fire burning on them.
Mostly the ashes should be able to bank your campfire for up to 16 hours. Although, this depends on how well you have done all of this as well as how many ashes you had. The user can then use the banked coals the next morning to start up their campfire again.
