A Dakota fire hole requires much less firewood and burns more efficiently, producing hotter fires with less wood. This makes it a very valuable wilderness survival technique in places where firewood is scarce or requires much effort to obtain.
It also creates a stable platform that is very convenient for cooking.
The fire is concealed within a hole limiting the amount of visible light emitted and smoke is also decreased because the wood is burning hotter and more efficiently.
Wont this be a nice way to start a forest fire? You have roots underground that can act like a fuse, burning slowly for a distance until it surface near dried wood, vegetation. Then there is the wind that will increase the temperature of the flame, and you’ll end up with a forest fire, woods fire, property fire from a distance where the fire originated from. Ground fire is not advised because of the possibility of starting a major fire. There is no telling how long the underground fire will smolder before coming to the surface.
I learned to do this almost 50 years ago. I also learned to do this in a hill side where the fire is in the lower hole and cooking is done over the up hill. This type will not give away your location as all fire is under ground.
I have seen fire travel 50 feet under ground thru tree roots
I have been building campfires for 45 years, and have never seen such a thing. Very nice!
I use this method years ago camping in fire restricted forests.
North Dakota or South Dakota?
C-4 or dirt n some mo gas burns really well too
I learned something today…cool!
leaves far less of a footprint on the wilderness.
Small fireplace! Good idea ! Thanks for sharing.