Step 1:

Dig a small hole as illustrated. The length should be parallel to the direction the wind is blowing. This hole will help ensure your fire has air to burn and when the fire has started, it will form a natural stove for you to cook on and safely store your amber. For the purposes of cooking a pit the size of 30 cm by 15 cm should be sufficient. The holes should have 'tails' facing the wind, this will allow wind to stroke the fire for you. A depth of 10 to 15 cm is good. Too big a hole with too little fuel makes cooking slow and too much fuel does not work well for cooking as you have too much heat. You will just burn the outside and not cook the insides. A good way to decide on how big your fire should be is to check what you are using to cook with. The above dimensions is suitable for two mess tins or is suitable for cooking for one to three people.

You could practise turfing to reduce impact on the environment from your cooking. Using a changkol, dig into four corners of the soil as shown and pry it out as a single piece with the grass still on top. Move this piece to the side and you will place it back when you are done with your fire.

If there is too much wind, use rocks to protect the fire. This is especially important in the beginning stages of the fire.

Step 2:

Select 2 relatively thick branches, this will support the fire in its initial stages. Place ontop of them smaller branches, which will support your kinder.

Step 3:

Place your kinder on top of your branches. This material will burn easily and will be the begining of your fire. Try to mix in some twigs into the kinder, as they require a more stable fire to burn but when they do burn, they burn with a more sustained fire.

Step 4:

You are now ready to light your fire. Strike a match and place it below your kinder. Refer to this article on how to light a match. The hole should be just deep enough to accommodate your fist.

Step 5:

Once the kinder starts burning, you fire has started. Place more kinder on top together with the smallest branches or twigs you have. The basic idea is that kinder burns quickly but burns off completely, hence making it a poor fuel for cooking. Twigs and small branches are in between, they do not burn readily but can burn for a longer period of time as they turn into amber. Larger branches are the main fuel for your fire, but you need a fairly stable fire before they will turn into embers. Logs are not required as they are too big for this kind of cooking.

Step 6:

Keep your fire going by adding more kinder together with twigs and branches. You should continue to do so, slowly adding larger and larger branches. The kinder will keep the fire up to burn the branches. Continue doing so for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not add too much fuel in at one time as this will starve the fire of oxygen. As the kinder burns out, add more before it dies out. If the fire dies out after sometime and you have amber, you can revive it by blowing directly into the amber. You could place your face as close to the ground as possible on the side where the smoke is not blowing towards and blow into the amber. Blow in a sustained manner for around 5 seconds. Repeat when you catch your breath. After two to four blows, the fire will slowly come to life. After five to eight blows, your fire should be back up.

Step 7:

You will know that your fire is ready for cooking when the flame is small and you can feel the heat when you place your hand over the amber. Place green wood across the fire to support your cooking equipment. You can start cooking.

Maintain the fire by continuously adding branches, perhaps in ten minute intervals.