Teaching Fire Building in Outdoor Education: A Guide for Elementary Teachers

Why Teach Fire Building?

I love teaching fire-building skills to my students. Students feel empowered by learning how to build fires and emboldened by the risky elements involved. Fire building is a valuable outdoor skill that teaches students about responsibility, patience, and respect for nature. It provides opportunities to discuss science concepts like combustion, heat transfer, and fire safety. Additionally, it builds confidence and teamwork as students work together to achieve a common goal. In this post, you will find tips for teaching fire building in outdoor education with elementary students and ensuring the safety of all students.

Logistics of Fire Building Lessons

Permits and Permissions

Before incorporating fire building into your outdoor education program, ensure you have the necessary permits and approvals from your school administration and local authorities. Some locations may have strict guidelines about fire use, so be sure to check regulations ahead of time.

Your area might also have “fire bans” in place during particularly dry spells. It is important to check to ensure that there are no fire bans in place when you are planning on teaching about fires.

Choosing a Safe Location

Selecting the right spot is critical for safety and success. Look for a designated fire pit or a clear, open area away from overhanging branches, dry grass, and flammable materials. If using a portable fire bowl, place it on non-flammable surfaces like dirt or gravel. Our school has a portable metal fire pit with a grate. We set the fire pit on a cement paving stone in an open area.

I like to teach fire building during the winter months when there is snow on the ground. The snow will not catch on fire and creates a safe place for the students to build their first fires.

Teaching Fire Safety and Respect

Demonstrating Proper Respect

Students should understand that fire is a powerful tool, not a toy. Before lighting any fires, discuss the cultural, historical, and practical importance of fire. Teach students to treat fire with respect and responsibility. I also have students do a fire safety quiz prior to building the fires. The students aren’t allowed to build fires until they get 100% on the quiz.

Setting Appropriate Limits

Establish clear boundaries and expectations before you begin. Some rules to reinforce include:

• Always stay at least three feet away from an open flame unless instructed.
• No running or horseplay near the fire.
• Only add materials to the fire with teacher approval.
• Never leave a fire unattended

Knowing Your Students

Before introducing fire building, assess your students’ comfort levels and prior experiences. Some may be apprehensive, while others may be overly eager. Adjust your approach accordingly and assign roles based on each student’s readiness.

I have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to fire building. If students are having trouble managing their own behaviour, they do not get to build fires. This means that fire-building does not happen with some groups of students and that’s ok as it is a matter of safety.

Essential Safety Tips

Have Proper Equipment

Ensure you have all necessary safety gear, including:

• Water buckets or a fire extinguisher for emergencies
• Heat-resistant gloves for handling materials
• Fire-safe containers for transporting matches or lighters

It is important that students know where all of the necessary equipment is and how to use it. I often teach about the safety equipment well before the students even start talking about building the fires.

Be a Role Model

Demonstrate safe and responsible fire practices. Model calm, careful behavior and ensure students follow your lead. Ensure that you are able to supervise ALL of your students at once.

Ensure Students Understand Fire Safety Basics

Before lighting a fire, review STOP-DROP-ROLL procedures, discuss fire containment strategies, and assign students clear roles to maintain order.

Ensure that your students know where all of the required safety equipment is.

Ensure that ALL of your students can see a teacher and be seen by a teacher at all times.

Be very clear on how a fire should never be left unattended.

Fire Building Instructions- Building Mini Fires

A great way to introduce students to building their own fires is by building mini pie plate fires. We generally do this in small groups (2-3 students) so students have to work together and learn from each other. Each group gets a metal pie plate to build their fire on. The fire must remain contained to the pie plate at all times

Materials Needed:

• Pie plates or another non-flamable base for building the fires on
• Different types of fire-starting devices (example, ferro rod, matches, lighters, etc.)
• Buckets of water (each group should have a bucket, plus 1 extra just in case)
• Fuel (kindling, firestarters, tinder, etc.)
• First Aid Kit

Step-by-Step Fire Building

Ensure that students have all of their materials gathered ahead of time. This means that they will not have to leave their fire unattended to collect materials once it is started.

1. Start with Tinder – Use dry leaves, grass, or cotton balls as an ignition source.
   • You can also make your own firestarters
2. Add Kindling – Small sticks or twigs help the flame grow.
3. Introduce Fuelwood – Larger logs sustain the fire for a longer period.
4. Light the Fire Safely – Use matches or a fire starter under controlled supervision.
   • I often keep control of the fire lighting devices. Students must show me their fire and that they are taking control of their own safety

Allow for Experimentation (Within Limits)

Encourage students to try different fire lays and ignition techniques while maintaining clear safety boundaries. Let them explore how different materials burn and how oxygen flow affects combustion.

Expose students to a variety of fire-starting methods, such as:

• Flint and steel
• Magnifying glasses (on sunny days)
• Friction-based methods like bow drills (for advanced students)

Conclusion

Teaching fire building in outdoor education can be a rewarding and educational experience for elementary students when done responsibly. By prioritizing safety, respect, and structured instruction, you can help students develop confidence and practical outdoor skills while fostering a deeper connection to nature.

Are you ready to introduce fire building to your students? Start small, plan ahead, and enjoy the process of teaching this essential outdoor skill!