Home Games Scout Zone Leaderboard About
Scout Zone

Fire Safety and Campfire Skills 🔥

Bushcraft OAS Stage 1-3 and Camping OAS. Learn the fire triangle, three fire lays, and how to put a fire out safely.

The Science of Fire

The Fire Triangle

A fire needs all three elements to burn. Remove any one side and the fire goes out. This is also how you extinguish a fire.

FIRE 🔥 FUEL wood · leaves · tinder HEAT spark · matches · lighter OXYGEN air

To put out a fire, remove one side of the triangle: smother it (remove oxygen), pour water on it (remove heat), or starve it of fuel. This is the foundation of all fire safety.

Before You Light Anything

Fire Safety Rules

🚨
Non-Negotiable Rules
  • Always get permission from your Scout leader before lighting a fire.
  • Check for a Total Fire Ban in your area before lighting. Fines apply in all Australian states.
  • Clear a 2-metre radius around the fire site of leaves and debris.
  • Have a bucket of water or a fire blanket nearby at all times.
  • Never leave a fire unattended, even for a minute.
  • Keep fires small. A small fire cooks better and is safer.
  • Never light a fire in windy conditions or when it is dry and hot.
Fire Craft

Three Fire Lay Types

Different situations call for different fire lays. Learn all three.

1
Teepee Fire Lay
Best for: quick start, boiling water
1Place tinder in the centre on the ground.
2Lean small kindling sticks around the tinder in a cone shape.
3Add larger sticks in the same cone shape around the outside.
4Light from the base at the tinder.
5Add larger fuel as the fire catches and grows.
2
Log Cabin Fire Lay
Best for: long-burning, camp cooking
1Place two larger logs parallel on the ground with a gap between them.
2Place tinder in the gap between the logs.
3Lay two smaller sticks across the top at right angles to the first pair.
4Continue alternating layers, getting smaller toward the top.
5Light the tinder in the centre at the base.
3
Star Fire Lay
Best for: slow burn, minimal wood
1Arrange 4 to 6 thick logs pointing toward the centre like wheel spokes.
2Place tinder in the middle where the logs nearly meet.
3Light the tinder in the middle.
4As the logs burn inward, push them further toward the centre.
5This efficient method is used on long camps where wood must be rationed.
Step by Step

How to Light a Fire

Always build up in layers: tinder first, then kindling, then fuel. Rushing to add big logs too early smothers the fire before it takes hold.

Australian Bush Tinder

Good tinder in the Australian bush includes dry stringybark, dead gum leaves, dry grass, paperbark, and bird's nests. It must be completely dry. If you squeeze it and it bends instead of crumbling, it is too wet.

1Tinder: Collect a handful of the driest, finest material you can find. Crumble it into a loose bundle. This is what your spark will catch first.
2Kindling: Gather small dry sticks, roughly pencil-thickness. Arrange them loosely over the tinder so air can flow through.
3Fuel: Have larger sticks and small logs ready nearby before you light. Do not gather them once the fire is going.
4Light the tinder at the base with a match or lighter. Shield the flame from wind with your body.
5Blow gently and steadily at the base to feed the flame with oxygen. Do not blow directly into smoke.
6Once the kindling is burning, add fuel sticks one at a time. Wait for each piece to catch before adding the next.
7Do not pile on large logs too soon. Smothering a young fire is the most common mistake.
Fire Safety

Putting Out a Fire Safely

A fire is not out just because the flames are gone. Coals and ash can stay hot enough to restart a fire or cause burns for hours after the flames die down.

1Let the fire burn down to coals first. Never leave large logs burning when you pack up camp.
2Pour water slowly over the entire fire site, not just the flames. Cover the whole area including the edges.
3Stir the ash and coals thoroughly with a stick to expose any hidden hot spots inside.
4Pour more water and stir again. Repeat until you cannot hear any hissing or see any steam.
5Hold your hand 30 cm above the ashes. If you can still feel heat, the fire is not out. Add more water.
6Leave the site cleaner than you found it. Scatter the cold ash, replace any rocks moved, and remove any litter.
Australian Law

Total Fire Ban

ℹ️
Know Before You Go

Every Australian state and territory has a fire danger rating system. On a Total Fire Ban day, no fires are permitted outdoors. In some states, this includes camp stoves. Fines are heavy and fires lit on ban days have started some of Australia's worst bushfires.

Check the official app or website for your state the night before every camp and again on the morning of your activity. If in doubt, use a gas stove.

State Fire Authorities:
  • NSW RFS
  • VIC CFA
  • QLD QFES
  • SA CFS
  • WA DFES
  • TAS TFS
Test Yourself

Fire Safety Quiz 🔥

8 questions on fire safety and campfire skills. Go for a perfect score!