Building a Fire - Scandinavian Log Candles

Want to make a long-lasting wooden “candle” for outdoor emergency lighting, warmth and cooking? All you need is a log and saw!
by Leon Pantenburg

It takes a lot of wood to build and maintain a bright, warm campfire. But what if there isn’t much wood available, you want to stay warm and also be able to see in the dark? One possibility might be to make a log candle.

These three Scandinavian log candles will provide light, warmth and a cooking area for several hours. (Pantenburg photos)

I was camped along a popular lake in Central Oregon recently and noticed a man at a campsite working on a four-foot long log. He had already done some work with a chainsaw, cutting six pie-shaped cuts about 18 inches lengthwise into the end of the log.

“It’s a Swedish candle,” he commented, while poking pine pitch into the saw cuts. “I’m making it for a wedding present.”

The idea, he said, is to make a controllable fire that provides warmth and light. The base doesn’t heat up, so the fire won’t melt down through the snow and put itself out.

To read the rest of Leon's post go here.  Be sure to watch his video at the end of the article.