Blazing Tales: Crafting Stories with the Swedish Fire Torch

Unleash the power of survival lore in your storytelling! Dive into this episode as we explore the Swedish fire torch—a fascinating survival tool that can double as your story's game-changer. Learn how to craft these ingenious log fires, their practical uses, and the pros and cons that make them both a versatile tool and a compelling plot device. Discover how long they burn and why their unique properties could elevate tension, atmosphere, and even a little romance in your story. Whether you're writing tales of survival, historical drama, or even an epic fantasy world, this episode will spark creative ways to incorporate the Swedish fire torches. Perfect for fiction writers looking to add authentic survival details and imaginative twists to their storytelling arsenal. Don’t miss it!

Transcript

The Swedish fire torch—simple in its construction- beckons storytellers to explore its fiery inspiration. This torch isn’t just an ingenious fire-making technique; it’s a symbol of resourcefulness and creativity, steeped in history. In this episode, we’ll explore the art of crafting this extraordinary fire, from traditional methods to modern twists. You’ll learn how long it burns, its versatile uses in multiple scenarios, and how it can ignite fascinating plots in your fiction—whether it’s a gripping wilderness thriller, a post-apocalyptic tale or anything in between. Let’s spark your imagination with the fiery potential of the Swedish torch!

Welcome to Writing Rural with Alley, the fiction writer’s weekly inspiration station for rural life and lifestyles, from historical to post-apocalyptic, helping you bring your rural stories to life! I’m Alley, and this is episode #105, Blazing Tales: Crafting Stories with the Swedish Fire Torch. Stick around to the end to find out all the ways things could possibly go wrong in your story. 

One quick thing before we get started. I will not be uploading next week as I will not have enough time to do an episode with some personal life stuff, but I should be back the next week. Now, let’s get into this.

The Swedish fire torch is also known as the Canadian candle, single log fire, and some people in the bushcrafting community call them a wooden rocket stove. (Or if you were part of my smart alec teen years, Fire in the Hole!) This is a fire that is contained inside a single log and used for cooking and heating. Bonus is that it keeps the fire off the ground. 

It is said to have originated in the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). At the time, soldiers needed to cook and heat without using large amounts of wood since there is only so much wood, and an army would be using a lot more than a single person or even a family. 

Do I personally believe that was the first time it was ever used by mankind? No, but I do believe it is the first time it was made popular enough to be written about in history, and it was likely something a family did that could have been passed down for generations until others picked it up during the war. Do I know for sure? No. It’s just my guess, and I will explain why as we go. 

What is the Swedish fire torch? The simple answer is that it is made by taking a single log and hollowing out the center, along with making a way to get air flow, so a fire can be started in the center. The long answer is that it is complicated and can be done in many ways. Let’s cover some of the ways. 

At least here in the US, I have most often seen people use an ax or a shingle froe to split the log into four pieces. (That would be cut in half both ways.) Then about 1/3 of the way from the bottom there is a small maybe half inch, up to an inch carved out of the inside all the way up to the top. Think of it like this. The round log has been made into four triangles, and the tip of the triangle will be cut off 2/3’s of the way up the log. This will be done to all logs, and then the logs will be placed back together and a hole will be in the middle of the log, but not all the way through. This is so the fire will stay off the ground. It is then held together with something to keep the logs from falling. I have seen metal wire, and even large rocks used. Just something that will not burn, or at least not burn quickly. 

Other ways that I have seen people do this is to drill a hole in the center and then cut down 2/3’s of the way with a chainsaw. It’s definitely faster, but leaves a lot more room for air flow, meaning that this will burn faster, and your character will have a harder time controlling the rate of burn for the log. 

The ‘rocket stove’ method is done by drilling out the center 2/3’s of the way down and then drilling an air intake in the side of the log that connects to the bottom of the hole in the center of the log. To me, it looks just like the Dakota fire pit, but in wood instead of in the ground. 

In all of these kindling is used to start the fire inside the log. Kindling being tiny pieces of wood, or other flammable materials. If your character is smart, they kept the parts they cut out or drilled out of the center of the log, and used that to start the fire. If they have split pieces, they can place small twigs between the log pieces to let more air flow in, if the fire needs it. Remember, a little at a time, is better than huge amounts. 

One quick important note about logs in general that will make a difference in this case is that many logs are not cut flat, but instead at angles. This works great for steep or maybe even hilly areas. It doesn’t work well for flat areas. Your character will ether need to adapt to the terrain or will need to be intentional when cutting the logs to begin with. Should your character not do these, or it is not an option, they risk having a log that falls over, spilling the coals inside, and if they are cooking, spilling their food. 

 If you heard my fire episodes, you will know they are looking for dry wood, so wood that is not on a tree and has had time to lose the water content inside. In historical or post-apocalyptic stories, these will either be cut the year before to have time to dry out, or they will be looking for fallen tree limbs. In most cases, fallen tree limbs are what people use in rural life. 25 acres of forest was more than enough for us to have winter heat just by cleaning up fallen tree limbs from the forest after it stormed. However, that is with a wood stove, and we are talking Swedish fire torch. 

Now I hear you, “But Alley, how long do they burn?” Great question. It depends on a couple of things. 

First is the type of wood that your character is burning. Softwood will ignite easily and burn faster. Hardwoods are a little harder to light, but burn longer. The general rule of thumb to tell these two types of trees apart are to remember softwoods are coniferous, and evergreens, while hardwood are the trees that lose their leaves every winter. Are there exceptions to this rule? Yes, a couple, but not many. So, if you are using wood that you are not sure about for your story, look it up. 

Second is the circumference of the log. There are three sizes to this, and I will give you the average burn time, but remember, this is an approximate time, and the type of wood should be taken into consideration. 

* Small-sized torch: These have a diameter of 6 to 10 inches. and typically burn between 1 and 2 hours. These are best for boiling water, and for short-term heat. 

* Medium-sized torch: These have a diameter of 10 to 14 inches and typically burn between 2 and four hours. They are best for cooking, but can be used for warmth and even a little bit of light. 

* Large-sized torch: These have a diameter of 14 to 20+ inches and typically burn for 4 to 6 hours. This time can be extended some by using hardwood and a large log. They are best for group cooking and put off the most heat, but more importantly, the heat lasts longer. 

Now, one of the most compelling things about this method of fire is that it can be done, even if everything is wet. Let me be clear, I do not mean water logged, I mean if it has rained, or snowed, these are normally still good to use. The reason being is that while the outside of the wood is wet, the inside is not, and that is where they are starting the fire. To top that off, since the fire only goes 2/3s of the way down, it is not in contact with the wet ground. 

I know many homeless who use this method when it has been raining. I have also meant poor families that use this to cook with. Which is one of the reasons I said I can easily see this being used by a family or others before the Thirty Years’ War. There were nomadic people back then, that this would have worked amazingly for especially if they did not want to leave more traces they have been somewhere than they had to as nomadic life was not always thought of well then. I can also see a poor family doing this just to get by and stretch what little they have. I’m not saying these are historical facts, but only historical possibilities. 

Now you have heard me say a few times they are good for cooking or boiling water with. There is one thing you do need to know. Your character will need to place small (flattish) rocks on top of the log in at least three places, so they have something to place their cooking or boiling utensils on. This should leave a small gap for air flow. Ok, it might look like smoke flow, but the smoke is in the air. (I feel like I should sing that to the Frank Sinatra song of Spring Is In The Air tune.) 

Now, let’s cover the pros and cons. 

Pros: 

* Perfect for rainy or wet weather (Not water-logged) 

* It works like a stove burner for cooking and boiling water

* It’s quick and easy for people moving quickly, such as soldiers 

* Warming up. It’s perfect for one or two people to warm up around, or to stay warm and stave off hypothermia. 

* Survival. It’s perfect when survival supplies are low, and they need heat or to boil water. 

* Morale booster. Warm drinks, or even just warmth, can be a great morale boost in stressful situations especially when people are cold. 

* Uses minimal resources helping your character to stretch what they have 

Cons: 

* Group heating. It’s not able to warm groups of people. 

* Only last a few hours. This is more pointed when there are no more logs, or very few. 

* Dense smoke: Soft wood puts off a lot of smoke, and can cause breathing issues for people, and can make foods taste extra smoky. 

* Can tip over

* Can’t be transported or reused. 

* Limited ways to cook on. 

Now these are clearly great for historical, post apocalyptic, survival and even camping stories. There are other ways to use this. It can be cozy and intimate, the perfect romantic backyard marshmallow roast. It’s also a way to impress a camping date. 

It can be used in suspense as a way for either good guys or bad guys to spot the other in the forest at night, or in the day if there is too much smoke, or they are close enough to see or smell the smoke. Remember, on open land, campfire light can be seen for 20 to 30 miles at night. In the forest in ideal conditions at night, campfires can be seen for a couple of miles, however, it’s usually less. But smoke can be smelled for up to a mile, even in the forest. 

If you want to add a little mystery, there could be something hidden inside the torch that someone else has made. Or if they made the torch, someone slipped something into it when they were not looking. 

Fun fact: If large rocks are used to hold the torch together, these will act like fire bricks once they are heated, and will put off more heat and stay warm even after the fire dies out. The downside is that it can get hot enough to burn if it is accidentally touched. 

One quick reminder before we get to all the ways things could go wrong in your story. To help others find this content, pop on over to Apple podcasts and leave me a review. Or if you are watching on YouTube, drop me a comment and say hello, or ask a question. This is the best way to help others find my content. 

Now, for everyone’s favorite part, what could possibly go wrong in your story? 

Likely to go wrong: Your character gets a huge splinter making a Swedish fire torch. 

Likely to go wrong: Your character is using a fire torch, and it’s not as straight as it should be. As it burns, it starts to lean more and soon tips over. 

Possible to go wrong: Your character doesn’t know how to use air flow for a Swedish fire torch. They let so much air in that the torch burns far more quickly than it had to. 

Possible to go wrong: Your character has little experience with fire and puts so much kindling into the torch that it suffocates the fire. 

Possible to go wrong: Your character accidentally bumps the log while cooking. Their food lands in the dirt. 

Unlikely to go wrong: Your character is allergic to smoke and didn’t know it. Their throat soon starts to close. 

Unlikely to go wrong: Your character accidentally knocks over the torch when they are cooking food. It splashes on them, burning your character. It will be even worse if it is something not easy to remove from their skin. 

Improbable but still technically in the realm of possibilities: Your character got a splinter while making a Swedish fire torch, and it festers, becoming infected. 

Improbable but still technically in the realm of possibilities: Your character leans too far over the fire, and catches their hair on fire. They are left with severe burns on their head and face. 

Thanks for listening! Until next time, happy wordsmithing.