Building a signal fire is an essential skill for anyone who enjoys spending time outdoors. Whether hiking, hunting, or fishing in the backcountry, knowing how to create a signal fire can be a lifeline in emergencies. In this guide, we will cover the steps to build an effective signal fire that can be seen from a distance, ensuring that you can attract the attention of rescuers or passersby when needed.
Step 1: Choose the Right Location
The location of your signal fire is crucial. It needs to be visible from as far away as possible. Look for an open area, away from trees and other obstructions that could block the view from the sky or a distance. High ground is often the best choice because it offers the most comprehensive visibility. However, ensure the location is safe, and the fire won’t spread uncontrollably. I like to choose areas on green grass when it is available. The variance of the color of the grass and those burning is helpful to make it more visible. It also helps to keep the fire from spreading. Remember that ground searchers complete most search and rescue events, not air assets. When choosing your site, keep this in mind as well. Searchers are trained to look everywhere, but statistically, lost persons go to high ground or are near water so that they will focus on some resources there. You are more likely to be found if your signal fire can be in one of those two places.
Step 2: Gather Materials
You will need four materials to build your fire: tinder, kindling, fuel, and signal material. Tinder is a material that will catch fire easily and quickly—items like dry grass and thin and dry bark shavings (think cedar bark). You can also create this material with patience and a sharp knife. Please do not pick up tinder material directly from the ground where it is likely to have moisture. Find material hanging dry in a tree or raised from the ground from fallen branches. For Tinder, you want stuff that is as dry as possible. If it is sourced up and off the ground it will gain more sunlight and wind that serves to dry it out. Once your fuel is lit, add kindling to grow the fire. Kindling includes slightly larger sticks and branches that can catch fire quickly but burn longer than tinder. When it is available, I like to use pine, white birch, hemlock, or similar species with resin. This helps the wood catch faster. This also makes it burn quickly, so your fuel choices will help keep it going longer. Fuel are large pieces of wood that will keep your fire burning for a long time. Look for dead, dry wood thick enough to sustain a fire. I like the hard, dense woods for this when it is available. Wood such as oak, hickory, ash, or similar are good choices. They require more effort to get going, but they burn long and hot when they do. Signal material will bring attention to your position for those most likely to find you. More often than not, in most searches, you will have ground searchers and not air assets looking for you. At night, a fire brings attention to your position in the dark. With a sea of green, grey, and brown natural materials, you want to stand out from those colors. Green vegetation on top of the previously mentioned materials will make a thick white smoke. Burning anything plastic, rubber, or petroleum-based in the snow will put off some black smoke. I know of one story where a lost person on the side of the road burned their spare tire to put off lots of black smoke, alerting searchers to their position.
