Fire Tenders

We have two fires:

Friday morning, for the breakfast hunt and Elder Wolf’s story.

Friday evening, after the carpet process work, in celebration and contemplation of our work done.

Wood

It is your job to make sure that the wood is in the right place and to prepare this on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Wood will be delivered to the site and you will need to get help to transport it to the place (near camping) where fires are held.

The lodge will will be ordering wood for these fires. It is your job to communicate with her to find the wood.

You and the other fire tenders are responsible for bringing kindling, matches and lighters and newspaper to start the fire. Bring plenty as it may be wet and windy.

At the end of the weekend please let the lodge coordinator know how much wood is left over.

Weather

Having these fires depends on it being dry enough! Assume they are happening, even if its raining. Better to have it, and not be able to use it, then not have it and the rain dry up. And even if its drizzly we may well choose to be outside.
When you are getting the wood in place near the fire ahead of time, make sure it is covered with a big tarp that is weighed down to keep in place.

Wood

You need to be aware of the fire safety up at the fire pit: ensure there is sand and buckets for water at the sink nearby.
Tend the fires carefully when they are lit, making sure that one of you is there and paying attention at all times. Letting each other know if you need to take a break.

Fire Safety

Stay with the fire until the activity there is complete and make sure the area is left safely.
Bring some fire gloves with you (sturdy gardening gloves or specific gloves for fire tending, welding etc.). You may well need these as you’ll be adding big pieces of wood and need to get them close to the fire to keep it stable. This is over quite a long period of time potentially so gloves are helpful.
Fire lighting
It is your responsibility to light and tend the fires. Between the fire tending team members you will want to decide who is looking after which fire, being aware that one of them involves being the earliest to rise (to get the fire going before the hunt) and the other involves staying up late (to make sure of fire safety after carpet work).
Be aware that the women starting the Friday night fire will need to leave carpet work early to get the fire lit. If you are on that fire, you need to be judging the right timing to get the fire going. It can be quite a balance to get it good and hot in time, without starting it so early that you’ve got through all the wood before any of the groups have finished! Keep checking in if possible with carpet teams (there is usually someone going between the carpets or in the kitchen who will have an idea of how they are progressing).