Beating out an extensive grass or scrub fire can be hard and difficult work.

If the fire extends along a wide front, too wide for you to attack, or if it is fanned by too high a wind, your best defence is to burn a firebreak between you and the approaching fire.

Select the line for the firebreak where the grass or scrub is thinnest and fire a small area–beating the young fire out on the side farthest from the approaching fire so that it will move away from you towards the main fire.

In the draught created by the heated air, the fire along your firebreak will advance against the wind, feeding upon the inflammable material in its path.

Extend your firebreak in a wide semicircle round the bush-fire side of your camp and when the approaching fire reaches the ends of your firebreak be ready to attack it if it starts to burn back against the wind.

Water, if available, can be used to fight a bushfire by playing a jet of water at the heart of the fire. The effect of water on burning wood is to reduce the temperature below combustion point.

FOREST FIRES

There is little that one or two people without firefighting equipment can do against a forest fire. The only really effective way to fight such a fire is by the cutting of firebreaks 100 to 200 yards wide–and this is impossible at short notice.

If a forest fire is approaching, the only safe place to take refuge is in a waterhole. It is no use trying to escape by running away from the fire. Men galloping in front of a forest fire on fear-maddened horses have been overtaken by the racing flames, which, in minutes, have killed both horse and rider.

WATER MUST NOT BE USED ON OIL FIRES

If water is played on burning oil or fat the water particles are exploded and the oxygen and hydrogen of the water feed the fire, increasing its intensity and spreading the danger.

The only way to fight an oil fire is to seal the fire off from the air.

On one occasion the writer saw a forty-gallon drum of high octane petrol catch fire. It was one of a store of several thousand full drums. Everybody panicked and ran for cover except one man, who calmly walked over to the blazing drum, picked up a plug and sealed the opening. The fire went out immediately the air was cut off.

To fight an oil fire, throw sand or dirt on the seat, of the fire-that will seal off the air and the fire will die in a few moments.

This particularly applies to the danger of frying pans, where the hot fat catches fire–never ever throw water in the pan. Place it in a safe place where the fire can die down or throw dirt or sand or flour on the blaze.

FIRE ON CLOTHING

When clothing catches fire there is a tendency to panic and run. Keep calm–beat the fire out with the hands or roll in the dirt. Better still, grab a blanket or rug and roll in it. You may feel painful skin burns, but if you run, the air will feed the burning clothing and you may be so badly burnt that you will lose your life.

WATER AND OIL FIRE

One of the hottest, most intense fires you can make is to burn water and oil together.

About the easiest method is to place a steel or iron plate on a couple of stones a foot above ground level. Light a fire beneath this plate to make it really hot and while it is heating up arrange a pipe or narrow trough about two or three feet long. One end of this pipe or trough is over the centre of the plate, and the other end is a foot or so higher than the plate. Into this top end of the pipe arrange, by means of a funnel and trough, water and sump oil to be fed down the pipe to the hot plate. The proportion of flow is two or three drops of water to one drop of oil. When the water and oil fall onto the hot plate it burns with a hot white flame of very great heat. The rate of flow can be governed by cutting a channel in corks which plug the bottles holding the water and oil, or if tins are used, piece holes in the bottoms of the tins and use a plug to control the flow.

This type of fire is excellent for an incinerator when great heat is required to burn out rubbish. It also makes an excellent ‘Campfire’ where strong flame and light are required and wood is in short supply.

CHAPTER 6

KNOTS AND LASHINGS

THE ability to join two pieces of natural material together, and so increase their length, gives man the ability to make full use of many natural materials found locally.

Sailors probably did more to develop order in the tying of knots, because for them it was necessary not only to tie securely but also to be able to untie, often in the dark and under conditions of bad weather and with rain-tightened ropes.

In bushcraft work probably half a dozen knots would suffice, but knots and knotting have a fascination for many people the world over, and a comprehensive range of knots, plain and fancy, and, with these, splices, whipping, plaits, and net making are included in this book with information of general use.

Knot tying is a useful exercise to obtain better coordination between eyes and fingers. The identification of knots by feel is an excellent means of developing recognition through touch.

In all woodcraft work it is necessary to know how to tie knots which will hold securely and yet can be untied easily. Many of the materials which you will have to use will be green, some will be slippery with sap, and there are many little tricks and knacks to get the best possible use from the materials available.

Knots and lashings take the place of nails for much bushwork, and when it comes to traps and snares, a thorough knowledge of all running knots is essential.

A brief description of the use to which the knot may be put is given in this book. The diagrams will explain how the knot is tied. The letter “F” means the free or untied end of the rope, and the letter “S” means the standing or secured end.

KNOTS FOR ROPE ENDS OR FOR

GRIPS ON THIN ROPE

THUMB KNOT

To make a stop on a rope end, to prevent the end from fraying or to stop the rope slipping through a sheave, etc.

OVERHAND KNOT

Overhand knot may be put to the same use as the thumb knot. It makes a better grip knot, and is easy to undo.

FIGURE EIGHT

This knot is used as the thumb knot. Is easy to undo, and more ornamental.

KNOTS FOR JOINING ROPES

SHEET BEND

To join or bend two ropes of unequal thickness together. The thicker rope is the bend.

DOUBLE SHEET BEND

Similar to single sheet bend, but gives greater security, also useful for joining wet ropes.

CROSSOVER SHEET BEND

This holds more securely than either the single or double sheet bend and has occasional real uses such as fastening the eye of a flag to its halyard where the flapping might undo the double sheet bend.

REEF KNOT

To securely join two ropes of equal thickness together. Notice the difference in position of the free and standing ends between this and the thief knot.

THIEF KNOT