BASIC FIRE PRINCIPLES

7-1. To build a fire, it helps to understand the basic principles of a fire. Fuel (in a nongaseous state) does not burn directly. When you apply heat to a fuel, it produces a gas. This gas, combined with oxygen in the air, burns.

7-2. Understanding the concept of the fire triangle is very important in correctly constructing and maintaining a fire. The three sides of the triangle represent air, heat, and fuel. If you remove any of these, the fire will go out. The correct ratio of these components is very important for a fire to burn at its greatest capability. The only way to learn this ratio is to practice.

previous | next

All text and images from the U.S. Army Field Manual 3-05.70: Survival.
Appearance of these materials here does not constitute or represent endorsement by mongabay.com.
Mongabay.com is not responsible for inaccurate or outdated information provided by the U.S. Army Field Manual 3-05.70.