However, your own open tarp or tent may also reflect heat from the fire back onto you. If the tarp or tent is highly flammable, you will need to pitch the tent or tarp far enough away from the fire and heat to prevent combusion. This may result in a more comfortable temperature for sleeping.

I have used this warming fire method, successfully.

Now, how will you have an all night fire that does not require your constant attention?

It may be necessary for you to tend your fire all night, especially if both cold and wet, utilizing both a reflector and shelter, and nap during the warmest part of the day perhaps in an open field.

However if there is any dead and dry hardwood available, it may burn all night. Cherrywood is sufficient. Madrone is sufficient. Hickory or walnut are sufficient. Oak is sufficient. You may want to know how to identify the hardwoods in your region.

If you are not so fortunate to have dead and dry hardwood readily available, in sufficient quantity, and size, there is the "woodcrafter's warming fire" method, utilizing softwood species of wood.

Take two sizeable ideally green logs, arranging the two to make a slope down to the fire. Lay the dead and dry smaller diameter logs across the two sloping green logs, so the dry logs will move on down the sloping green logs into the burning fire. I am speaking of four to six inch diameter logs, not the really big stuff.

I have seen this clever warming fire, in the midwest.

If no axe is available, a bigger green log dragged into a non-organic mineral subsoil area, you found or you made by scraping the organic layer away from the fire bed, may be used for a warming fire.

If you are out making your camp out in the open, this may be the only effective warming fire: Have smaller diameter logs and branches ready, outside the edges of the fire. Drag or push them alongside the bigger green log backdrop for your warming fire. Lie down parallel your fire, to awaken at intervals during the night for keeping this warming fire at the right temperature.

Any fire must be made on a non-organic mineral subsoil base.

Forest fires and grass fires often get their start, from burning unseen, under the organic layer of forest material.

Also, avoid all high-pitch content wood. High-pitch wood will "pop" and the burning bits thrown off will burn your sleeping bag, your clothing, your skin.

If there is wind, matches may not be adequate. While it is possible to use the fire starting method, described on the cooking fire page, it may be necessary to use "fire starters" of chemical tabs like hexamine or esbit, or even a flare.

If the woods are wet, it may be a consideration you will need more heat for geting more fire started to dry out wood, as you add it onto the fire. Magnesium burns very hot, if briefly. Ordinary road safety signal flares have magnesium. There are Fire Ribbon, and other brand firestarters. There are sawdust product firestarters. There is a two part chemical infrequently sold.