Wild Fire Day

March 8 2010

Wild Fire Day

WILD FIRE DAY
run by "Wild Woods 'n Willow"

On a bright morning in February, five students arrived at a wood by Blackenstone Rock to learn how to make fire by friction from two tutors, Dan Thompson-Mills & Charlie Loram.

After a demonstration by the pair, all the students got down to the task of firstly preparing their bowdrill materials and a tinder bundle, then bowing, turning one piece of wood ('the spindle') against another ('the hearthboard').

When the materials and the technique are right, a coal (hot ember) is produced at 800C. This coal is then transferred into the tinder bundle, a nest of dried grass and finer tinder such as thistledown and birchbark. Blowing on the coal in the tinder bundle and allowing air to pass through then creates a flame which is used with kindling and firewood to create a roaring fire.

The students quickly learnt that bowdrill is all about continual adjustment of materials and posture until the bowdrill set is humming nicely and kicking out thick, choking smoke.

One after the other, the students achieved a coal and converted it into flame with elation written all over their faces. One student came very close but didn't quite produce a coal - however, he went away equipped with a bowdrill set and the determination to continue at home.

Charlie Loram & Dan Thompson-Mills are part of "Wild Woods 'n Willow" that run a number of bushcraft and nature awareness courses for adults and children. See www.wildwoodswillow.org.uk for more details.

The Wild Fire Day was funded through the Moretonhampstead Learning Centre as part of the Learning Village project with the Learning Revolution Transformation Fund.

 

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