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illustrations by derek lue and andrea yury
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hOw tO StARt A fIRe
“rule no. 1
is to alWays
have Fire starting
materials With you.”
– chris klitbO
Our expert:
chris klitbo, who teaches
wildland fire suppression and
management, and winter survival
What to take with you
fire starter
Carry two types of fire starter in
a waterproof case and carry two
sets of fire starter in different
locations – on you and in your
backpack. Types of fire starter:
waterproof matches, lighters and
fire strikers (high-carbon steel
used for striking a spark).
Our expert:
bruce avery, who teaches about
wildlife
Avery had a close encounter with
a young bear during a summer job
in the Whitecourt area in the late
’70s. A black bear came within
4.5 metres as he and a co-worker
were taking a timber inventory.
The pair stood their ground,
yelled and blew their whistles
as the bear made several false
charges. Eventually, the bear got
bored and left. Avery, who has
since spotted several bears before
they noticed him and has quietly
backed away, says that were he to
have the same encounter today,
he would make lots of noise and
slowly back away while keeping
the bear in sight. And he’d have
his bear spray ready.
tinder
Tinder is small material that
ignites right away. Store with your
fire starter. Types of tinder: cotton
balls impregnated with candle
wax and kerosene. In nature: fine
shavings of birch bark (which is
great if it’s been raining) or the
paper-like fibres found inside the
bark of a dead poplar. Out of the
ordinary: powdered Coffee-mate
placed on a plate of bark (the
downside – it flares up really
fast).
get started
Gather all the materials you’ll
need: fire starter, tinder, twigs,
sticks and logs.
Avery’s advice is based on the
Alberta Safety Council teachings.
When in bear country
Be aware of your surroundings.
Watch for fresh tracks, scat,
diggings or claw marks on trees
and torn stumps and logs. Travel
during daylight hours.
Never travel alone.
Make lots of noise. Shout, talk
loudly or use noisemakers, such as
bear bells or rocks in a can. “Bear
bells may drive you nuts walking
for hours, too. It’s a preference,”
Avery says. “I’m just an advocate
of making lots of noise.”
Store food away from your camp.
Hang food about four metres
from the ground and 1.3 metres
from top and side supports or
use a bear-resistant bin if one is
available at the campsite.
Clear the ground down to soil
or rock. Avoid building a ring of
rocks as it can shield embers. If
you do build a ring, take it apart
when you put out the fire.
Get the tinder burning. Add
increasingly larger pieces as your
fire burns: itty-bitty twigs, then
twigs the size of a match and
smaller, then finger-sized twigs,
followed by wrist-sized sticks and
finally logs the size of your arm
and larger.
how to put out the fire
Drown it in water – use enough
water to ensure all the coals and
embers are cold. Dig through the
fire. Mix it with dirt.
hOw tO AvOID A beAR encOunteR AnD whAt tO DO If It hAPPenS
the bear maDe several
False charges beFore
it got boreD anD leFt.
– bruce aVery
Web Extra
Get tips on sharpening an axe and
chopping wood.
techlifemag.ca/sharpen-axe.htm
if you encounter a bear
Stay calm. Assess the situation.
If the bear is unaware of you,
quietly and quickly back away.
Stay downwind if possible. If you
still need to head in that direction,
wait awhile and detour around the
area where you spotted the bear.
If the bear sees you, leave the
area by backing away slowly. Keep
the bear in sight at all times until
you are a safe distance away.
Bear spray should only be used
with an aggressive or attacking
bear. Remove the safety clip.
Aim for the face. Spray a brief
one-second shot when the bear
is within 15 metres. Never spray
into the wind. If the bear stops to
clean its face, quietly leave
the area.
— Kristen Vernon
v3.2 2010 21