Sitting by the campfire with your friends and relaxing after a day out on the trails; there’s nothing like it.
Everyone is enjoying the warm glow, maybe circled around having some food or even s’mores.
But there’s one thing that is just ruining the moment…smoke.
The smoke billowing from the fire getting in everyone’s faces is just a downer.
We talked about why smoke follows you around a fire, and I covered a few ways to avoid it.
But what if there was a way to have little to no smoke coming from your fire at all?
That would be the perfect campfire to sit around!
Let’s explore the science behind a smokeless campfire and how to create one.
Camping tip: obviously if you are using a fire to signal help, you’ll want as much smoke as possible. If that’s the case, you’ll want to add fresh wood and other green materials to create more smoke!
Can a fire be smokeless?
Scientifically speaking, yes, a fire can be smokeless.
A smokeless fire is the result of a process called complete combustion.
If a fire is hot enough, your fuel is pure enough, and there is enough oxygen, complete combustion will occur and your fire will be smokeless.
The opposite, incomplete combustion, occurs when one of these factors is off.
So how can we reach complete combustion with our campfire?
5 ways to help make a smokeless fire
Fire needs 3 things to burn: fuel, oxygen, and heat.
Having the correct amount of each will help make a smokeless fire.
Generally speaking, if you are having trouble reducing the amount of smoke that your fires create, it is likely to do with the first element, fuel.
Let’s talk about the 6 things that will help your fire smoke less.
Dry fuel
Having dry firewood is essential to burning a smokeless fire.
Now, even ‘dry’ wood will have a little bit of moisture in it, but getting as close to dry as possible is the goal.
The more wet wood is, the more smoke it will produce when burning.
So it’s best to avoid any wood that is particularly damp.
Finding dry tinder is fairly easy even in harsh conditions if you know where to look, such as up in trees or in the middle of piles of leaves.
To find kindling and firewood that is dry, look for standing dead trees.
Pulling the branches off of dead trees that are still standing will make good, dry fuel as it won’t have been wet from sitting on the ground.
Store bought firewood will usually be very dry, and kiln dried firewood is the best for smokeless fires.
Green wood creates smoke
Green wood is another term for freshly cut wood.
The main reason that green wood isn’t ideal to burn smokeless is because it hasn’t had time to dry out yet.
All of the moisture from the living tree is still trapped inside and hasn’t dried, which will create a ton of smoke if burned.
The best thing to do is allow green wood to sit and dry out.
This won’t happen immediately, so while it’s drying out for a few weeks you’ll want to use dead, dry firewood.
Again, another alternative is to purchase dried firewood from the store if your only other option is green wood.
Let the fire breath
Complete combustion needs a good amount of oxygen to burn fuel cleanly.
This becomes very difficult if the fire is smothered.
Spreading the firewood out and giving a little bit of space between pieces will allow oxygen to flow.
Smothering your fire with too much material will do the opposite, creating a ton of smoke.
If your fire isn’t burning all of your dry firewood and there’s quite a bit of smoke, try rearranging the firewood to allow for more airflow.
Burning debris causes smoke
Things live leaves, straw, grass and more will cause your fire to smoke when burned.
It’s not only likely that the debris itself isn’t completely dried out, but throwing a large pile of debris into the fire can hurt oxygen flow.
That lack of oxygen (from the last point) will cause the fire to burn incomplete, creating smoke.
If you have to use debris to get your fire going that’s fine, but once it’s established don’t keep throwing it in if you want a clean burn.
Give it time
The third element I mentioned for burning a fire is heat.
When you first start up a fire things will likely smoke.
That’s because the fire hasn’t reached a hot enough temperature for complete combustion to occur.
It’s okay if your tinder is smoking when you first light the fire.
Just continue to add in dry, dead material and watch the smoke disappear.
Start with a clean area
Break out your brooms and sweep the dirt!
Kidding.
I put this point last so that you could understand why you need a clean area to start with.
Try to remove any sticks or debris that will not burn clean, as the wood and debris on the ground will be wet, causing smoke.
It’s always a good idea to create a stone fire ring where you want your fire to burn as well (learn why here).
The other benefits of having a smokeless fire
We already know that having a smokeless fire will help keep that annoying smoke from going into your eyes.
But there are other benefits to burning a smokeless fire.
Check them out below!
Clean fires last longer
Complete combustion will allow your fuel to last longer since everything is being burned.
That in turn means you’ll need less fuel to burn the same duration.
Less fuel needed = less time searching for fuel or using less of your stash of dry firewood.
Smokeless fires are better for cooking
Unless you plan to smoke your food (which would be better done outside of a campfire), having a clean burning fire is much better for cooking.
You’ll get a more consistent, hotter burn and it will help cook your food easier.
Reduced effects on the environment
Practicing Leave No Trace very important when out in the wilderness.
A smokeless fire will burn less fuel, meaning you’ll need to pull less firewood out of the woods.
No smoke created means very little air pollution released while your fire is burning.
It will overall help to have less impact on your environment.
Reduced effects on yourself
Smoke that comes off of a fire contains many harmful chemicals, including carbon monoxide.
Avoiding the smoke a fire gives off is a great first step, but creating a fire that doesn’t give off smoke in the first place is the best way to avoid inhaling those chemicals.
Stealthy
If, for whatever reason, you need to have a fire but don’t want to alert anyone or anything of your position, you could create a smokeless fire.
While passerby will still be able to see the flame if they’re in a direct line of sight, no one will be able to see a smokestack flowing into the air.
And on the flip side: if you are stranded or need help, always remember to create smoke on your fire to alert people of your presence so help knows where to find you.
Have you created a smokeless fire? Got any tips?
A smokeless fire, as you can see, is perfectly doable and has a ton of benefits.
It can be done in the deep wilderness or even in your own backyard.
Have you ever created a smokeless fire?
If so, are there any tips you’d like to add to the article to help others?
Let me know in the comments below!