Nature-base sessions use fire as a great tool to give children the opportunity to develop new practical skills and build their confidence. The aim is to ensure that all group members using fire within an activity do so safely and with a reduced level of risk. The information below will make you aware of your present skill level and also the steps you need to take in order to improve.

Fires and the use of Kelly / Ghillie kettles are an important part of understanding how to reduce risk within nature-based sessions. This opportunity helps groups develop new practical skills and build their confidence around actual risk.

Fires will only be used where it is appropriate to do so and where there has been an agreement with the land owner. The aim is to introduce groups in understanding that fire can be a very useful method of providing heat for cooking, warming the body up and as a natural television. It is also a great therapeutic resource to be able to ‘unwind the mind’ when looking back at past events/sessions (reviewing tool).

Ghillie Kettle

The following generic safety guidelines are to be followed:

• Participants will only be allowed to light fires under direct supervision of a trained leader using suitable materials and equipment
• All participants will be given clear guidelines on how to behave and move around the fire pit area when the fire or Kelly/Ghillie kettle is lit
• A lit fire will be supervised by a competent person at all times, as will all cooking activities
• All fires should be fully extinguished and all traces removed at the end of a session