What needs to be prepared
To start a fire, you need to have a large knife or sapper shovel, matches or a lighter. If you have to bring firewood from a long distance, you will need a piece of any rope.
Process description
Clear an area of land approximately 40x70 cm in size from fallen leaves and turf. Dig the first hole for the combustion chamber. The diameter is about 30 cm, if you have a paratrooper knife - great, its length from the tip to the end of the glass breaker is exactly 30 cm.
The dimensions of the pit are approximate, a variation of several centimeters is allowed. Mark the circle with sticks and start digging. To make the work easier, it is better to first break the hard soil with the tip of a knife, and then remove it from the hole with your palms.
If you come across tree roots, they must be cut off and the area of the pit must be clean.The depth of the pit is approximately 50 cm, the final parameters depend on the amount of firewood, but as practice shows, it is not worth throwing too much of it at once - the amount of smoke increases.
Starting from a depth of about 10 cm, increase the diameter of the hole; the hole should have the shape of a pear: narrower at the top and wider at the bottom.
Step back 35–40 cm from the finished hole and start digging a second one.
It will serve as a blower, a very important component of a smokeless fire. These works are somewhat more complicated. The fact is that the blower must be connected to the combustion chamber through an underground tunnel. The diameter of the blower hole is approximately 15 cm; the beginning of the tunnel is located at a depth of approximately 20 cm from the surface of the earth. Select specific values depending on the physical characteristics of the soil.
Heavy clay soils hold their shape well; there is no need to be afraid of landslides. On sandy loam or sandy soils, there is a high probability that the tunnel will be filled in; you must dig the tunnel very carefully.
The tunnel from the blower should be inclined; choose the angle so that at the exit it connects with the bottom of the pear. If this rule is not followed, then not only will the fire burn poorly, but much more smoke will appear.
Tips for choosing fuel
For a fire, it is recommended to select birch and alder. Aspen produces a lot of sparks, they rise to a considerable height and are clearly visible at night. Coniferous trees have natural resin, and when burned it emits a lot of smoke. Birch bark is best suited for ignition; prepare that too.
There may not be such firewood available at the site where the fire is being made; then you need to prepare it while searching for a suitable place for the fire. The less moisture they have, the less smoke. Do not pick up branches from the ground, break only hanging ones.
Let's make a fire
We start with the bark.Set it on fire and lower it into the hole.
Then almost immediately we place thin dry branches on top of the burning bark. Well, then larger firewood.
Of course, such a fire is not suitable for heating, but you can boil water or cook food on it well (and without attracting unnecessary attention).
Conclusion
The amount of smoke, under all equal conditions, is reduced due to effective air supply - the firewood does not smolder, but burns. In addition, the walls of the pit are cold at first and condense steam, which is released when the fuel dries.
The fire performed well during combat operations. To camouflage the resting place, the earth should not be scattered; after leaving, the dug holes are filled in, and the turf is put back in its original place.
To improve traction, it is necessary to place the blower tunnel on the windward side; do not make it too long. The work becomes more difficult, and the traction worsens.
