18 January 2017

"As temperatures dip, lessons from Jack London's 'To Build a Fire' "

 
A local reporter has been traveling around Alaska for some time, and shares some important lessons learned. It's worth a read, especially as Arctic air blankets the state.
 
It was a trip of a lifetime, but my thoughts, upon reflection, were much like those of the man in Jack London's short story, "To Build a Fire." I was ready for a week of adventure but not the surprise fear I felt in those final few hours along the river when overcome by hypothermia ...
The difference between minus-10 cold and minus-75 cold was best described to me when I first moved to a remote village south of McGrath. "Cold is cold," one of the townspeople told me. "The difference between minus 10 and minus 50 or minus 75 is the speed at which you lose your ability to do simple tasks." 
The time you have to build a fire determines whether or not to gather ample wood to keep the fire going once it's started or build a proper base to allow for melting snow to drain away. If you are wet or alone in minus-50-degree weather, your fingers may stop working before you can strike a match. 
The lessons in "To Build a Fire" come (and are ignored) in order of importance. First, the wolf dog knows that real cold is no time for traveling. Second, an old man had told him that, after 50 below, he should travel with a companion. Third, at 75 below, the man knows he cannot fail in his first attempt to build a fire.
 
 

11 comments:

threecollie said...

I think of that story all the time. It made a huge impression on me along about 6th grade when we read it in school. By that time I had been tending a fire in a wood or coal stove for about four years and the tale scared the dickens out of me. I have learned to build a very good fire under many kinds of conditions over the course of fifty years or so, but I don't even want to think about -75 or anything similar. I always carry matches though.

Rev. Paul said...

When the Navy shipped me to the Aleutians, we all had to go through a survival class. One bit comes to mind now: at -50, a spitball will freeze on contact with the ground. At -75, it freezes in midair.

Toirdhealbheach Beucail said...

Our youngest also just read this in 6th grade. It made quite an impression on her.

LindaG said...

I read Call of the Wild (didn't all kids?), but I don't recall reading this short story.
It is definitely true, and an interesting read. Thanks for sharing it.

Stay warm!

Rev. Paul said...

TB, Jack London got a lot of what he experienced in AK right on the nose. There are worse teachers.

Linda, you're quite welcome. I'm glad you liked it.

Rob said...

We are having a heat wave at 41 today. I started removing layers to cool off. Your temps are nuts. I wonder how many folks could handle those temps here?? Not me.

Rev. Paul said...

When the choice is "survive or die", you discover how quickly you can put on layers & figure out a way.

WendyFromNY said...

I too, remember well that Jack London story from almost 55 years ago. And think of it often. An amazing writer.

I cannot imagine that kind of cold. Here in NY state, we had -29 degrees last winter, for one night. That was more than I want to experience in my lifetime.

Rev. Paul said...

Hi, Wendy - and welcome. It would be very tough to experience this kind of cold without the proper clothing and/or supplies. We're used to it, more or less, and have arctic wear for this season of the year.

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Mid 60's had a job with a company conducting cloud seeding experiments. There was recording equipment strung along thirty miles on top of the Continental Divide, average altitude 10,000 ASL that had to be serviced when it was snowing. The managers would only hire local residents with proven survival skills.

Rev. Paul said...

I understand that, WSF. It would be a major mistake to do otherwise.