How to Build A Tepee Fire

The name of this fire, the tepee fire, does a pretty decent job of expressing what it looks like; it is a cross formed by two ditches in the ground with a fire built in the center of it.

This method of building a fire is widely used in survival and hunting since what can assemble it in a short amount of time results in a fire that is quite well ventilated and shielded. It can be modified to accommodate different types of wind.

If you have a tiny fire that burns well like this one, building it, cooking over it, putting it out, and covering it up so that no one can tell you were there in the first place are all simple and quick tasks (which should always be the case).

Making A Cross Ditch Fire

1. Evaluate The Location 

For this fire to succeed, the top soil needs to be on the softer side so that who can dig ditches more easily. Always keep your surroundings in mind, making sure to account for things like potential fire threats and the direction of the wind.

2. Make The Cross

It is sufficient for each ditch to have a width of approximately 4 inches (10 cm) and a depth of roughly 2 inches (5 cm). You may accomplish that with little effort by making an indentation in the ground using the heel of your boot and dragging it across the surface. Its length can change depending on the fire being produced, but its primary function is to promote air circulation; therefore, a distance of two feet or sixty centimeters from the fire in any direction is more than sufficient.

The length of the cross should be shorter, and the depth should be more significant if there is a lot of wind; this will result in a fire that burns more efficiently and is better protected.

3. Prepare The Fire Pit

The fir itself is tiny, and it can take the form of any of the foundations that the fire lays, such as a log home or a tepee. It is positioned in the middle of the cross to facilitate rapid combustion, cooking, and progression; it only needs to be of modest size, which may accommodate most of it in the crossover square. Sticks and twigs are the only things that are required.

4. Start A Fire In The Pit

Start the fire in the middle of the hole; it should burn quickly and hotly, allowing water to be boiled off of it quickly and without needing to add any extra wood. If you want it to burn for a more extended period or use it as a heating fire, you might need to add more wood.

5. Keeping The Fire Going At All Times

This design and usage are intended for speedy set-up and use, after which the user can go on. If you want it to burn for longer, add more wood as necessary, making sure to keep it reasonably tiny and in the middle of the cross.

6. Putting Out The Fire Using Water

This fire will go out on its own in a relatively short time. Continue to push any loose twigs or sticks to guarantee that they also catch fire. 

If the area is still hot or heated and you are prepared to walk on, sprinkle some water on yourself to cool off, then use your boot to cover the ditches once more, level the surface, and create a little mound over the actual fireplace. If everything is carried out as it should, no one will be able to detect your presence at the location.

The name "tepee fire" does a pretty good job of explaining what it looks like; it is a cross made by two ditches in the ground with a fire set in the center of it. The tepee fire was named after a traditional Native American dwelling called a tepee.