How To Build a Self-Feeding Fire - Survival Instructor Dan Wowak | Fire Starting Tips by UCO

If there is one thing that makes camp life uncomfortable, it is waking up in the middle of the night to a fire that has burned out. Crawling out of a sleeping bag, scavenging for firewood, digging through a backpack for a fire starter, and battling the cold are all scenarios that turn even the happiest camper's smile upside down. But have no fear there is a solution to this problem, it is called the self-feeding fire....

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[FFLL]

Great video. I’ve built 100 of these over the years. 2 necessities I’ve learned the hard way:
1) always pack dirt around your 45° guide posts and then cover the dirt with rock and stone - guider posts will not burn as easily
2) for a true maintenance free fire - tier your log size up the posts as follows: small > medium > large > medium > large > medium > large etc. the goal is to keep the ember base perfect.. gravity and time take care of the rest

[markscearse]

This fire does work. To protect the upright supports dirt is needed around the bottom to shield the ramp and helps contain the coals. I've watched a time lapse video which the builder piled dirt around the poles and between them to assist the logs and hold the embers from moving out of the burn zone. Great video Dan-O.

[bobbreit]

I would like to see a time lapse of the logs rolling. Or just try it myself...

[mwmii]

The main problem I've had with the two-sided self-feeding fires is that they're not much good for heat. You only get a small point of coals radiating heat. It's blocked on two sides so it doesn't keep you very warm. A one-sided self-feeding fire can open a broader bed of coals to face your shelter. You just use two large rocks to keep the stack from collapsing. This also makes the fire useful for ither things like cooking.

Another problem wit ALL self-feeding fires is that the ends of the logs don't burn completely. This keeps the other logs from feeding into the fire. They're not a set and forget fire. You still have to tend them. There are other fire lays that will burn all night, require almost no twnding, and project the heat into your shelter.

[johncouch]

Literally a life saver. Run a metal pipe at an angle over it into your room and bam warm all night. Thanks Dan

[ScottishWanderer]

Awesome video i have seen couple of videos saying this self feeding fire you would need tons of wood to last all night winter here in scotland it gets dark at 4pm till 8am

[geoattoronto]

Good, clear, instruction and demonstration in a short video. Thanks,

[johnmutton]

Try putting another pile of logs at the back at 45° this will help reflecting the heat towards you. Or simply put two stakes at each end, and stack several lengths of timber between them to make a screen to reflect the heat. Then burn those as well! Enjoy watching!

[doctorsteve]

I started out watching 200 japanese wagyu steak cooking on a flat top grill, , , ,
now Im just watching logs burn. ha.

[LovingIdaho]

I will have to give it a try in a few weeks . I am waiting for the snow to start to start falling a bit more .

[montanadad]

I always had questions about how this would exactly work starting it early was the missing link I didn't think through, thanks!

[OverOnTheWildSide]

It seems to produce a steady billow of smoke. I’m just glad I don’t see zero degree temps very often and don’t really need to use this.

[mickd]

Yes im trying to figure out why the ramp wood isn’t burnt. 🤔

[jvanniekerk]

Great video. Important tio: pit some mud in the outside of the bottom logs, so the fire doesn't burn through and around the bottom log. It'll burn longer and more focused on the inside bottom log 😊

[jamiehurtt]

If you use a circular stone perimeter i would think that would help keeping the support sicks from burning up as long as the support sticks were kept on the outside of the circular stone fire ring

[mixmediaproductions]

Hey ya ! I have a saw like that. It has a blade for brush. What kind of blade for logs ? 😊❤

[brianhickerson]

I have used this method, Dan, couple of times, it works well. Just watch for wind changes

[TheReal]

Your 'frame' will catch fire without something around those poles. In one part of the vid, you can see fire clearly circling the poles on the right side. Siberian fire is more serious for an all night fire.

[lito]

Would love to see a time lapse or honest picture 8-12 hours later.

[patrickmsong]

Do the support sticks risk burning/breaking off/collapsing?