A good hot fire is essential in survival situations for warmth, sanitizing water, and cooking food. The problem with fire is that both the light and smoke can give away the location of your camp. This is not usually an issue, but you will probably want to hide your location in a grid-down, bug-out, or SHTF scenario.
This is where a Dakota Fire Hole comes into play. Concealing the flames below ground hides the light of the flames from view while also shielding them from the wind.
Origins of the Dakota Fire Hole
While the Dakota Fire Hole effectively conceals a campfire, that was not the original intent when the Dakota people started using this style of fire lay. Instead, these first peoples would use the Dakota Fire Hole while hunting Bison on the plains because it is resistant to the strong winds and requires less wood to make a very hot fire.
Related: How to Get a Year Supply of Firewood for $10!
Because of their innovation in fire making, this style of fire lay bears the name of the Dakota people to this day.
How the Dakota Fire Hole Works
A Dakota Fire Hole is a fire that is built below ground and fed oxygen through a second hole and tunnel dug adjacent to it. As the fire burns, the hot air will rise up through the hole, which will create a suction effect through the tunnel and second hole.
The result is that the fire is given a continuous supply of fresh oxygen, which allows it to burn hotter.
The hotter fire of a Dakota Fire Hole is also far more efficient, requiring less wood to achieve the same heat output of a traditional fire built above ground.
Advantages of the Dakota Fire Hole
- Since it is below ground, the flames are concealed from view.
- The design allows it to burn hotter than an above-ground fire.
- It is easier to cook over since you can place a pot or pan directly over the hole without the need to construct a tripod or other complicated methods of hanging pots and pans over the flames.
- The fire is so efficient that it creates little smoke and uses less wood to achieve a hot fire.
- It is easy to construct, requiring few tools.
Related: How to Make Firebricks (fire logs) and Wood Stove Logs for Free!
With all of its advantages, this hole has one significant disadvantage. While constructing the Dakota Fire Hole is not tricky, building it requires time and calories before a fire can be made.
Also, this style of fire lay would not be suitable for areas where water may seep in and fill the hole or where the soil is too loose to support the construction of the two holes and tunnel.
Constructing the Dakota Fire Hole
When constructing the Dakota Fire Hole, all the usual rules for building a fire remain the same. However, there are a few special considerations for a Dakota Fire Hole site selection.
It is advisable to dig the hole under a tree with leafy branches to diffuse the smoke. This will help to reduce the possibility that the limited amount of smoke that the fire emits will give your position away. That being said, you should not choose a location that has a lot of roots.
It would be best if you also avoided areas that are too wet or have loose soil that won’t support the construction of the Dakota Fire Hole.
Tools Required
Building this fire hole requires a few tools to be successful:
- Shovel, or digging stick
- Tinder, kindling and fuel
- A method of starting a fire
Directions
1. Pick a suitable site for the construction of the Dakota Fire Hole. Be mindful of the potential of forest fires and the presence of combustible materials below the ground. Constructing the Dakota Fire Hole beneath the canopy of a tree will help diffuse what little smoke the fire will make.
2. Clear the area of any debris and combustible material until you have gotten down to bare dirt.
3. Dig the main hole about 12 inches deep and between 8-10 inches in diameter.
4. Dig a second hole 8-10 inches away from the main pit. Dig this hole at a slight angle towards the main pit.
5. Connect these holes with a tunnel. Take care to build it so that it will not run the risk of collapse.
6. Build a fire in the main hole feeding it with small sticks and twigs until it burns hot.
7. You can then place pots, pans or cups directly over the hole to boil water or cook.
8. To extinguish the fire, douse it with water and ensure that the bed of the fire is cool to the touch before filling in the hole with dirt and concealing it as not to leave any trace that there was a fire built there.
Special Considerations
The primary consideration for this style of fire lay is that, since it is below ground, in some areas, you could inadvertently create a fire that will burn below the surface and could potentially cause a forest fire.
Another consideration is that, though this is a very hot and efficient fire, it will not provide the same heating effect as a traditional campfire. Therefore, while the Dakota Fire Hole is great for cooking, it is not appropriate for heating a shelter.
Even if you do not intend on using the Dakota Fire Hole to conceal your location, it is a valuable tool to have in your fire building toolbox for those times where you need to keep the flames out of the wind, or you need a hot efficient fire to cook over.
These fire holes are straightforward to construct and, in most cases, take little time to dig. Once you build a few of them, you will begin to see their utility and certainly employ the Dakota Fire Hole in many different circumstances while enjoying the outdoors.
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Thanks for the blog loaded with so much information. Stopping by your blog helped me to get what I was looking for.
I was wondering about making the secondary hole a little deeper so any rain would drain to it instead of pooling in the fire hole.
In Arizona I have used a waist deep, and deeper hole like this to cook javalina, cow heads and other meats. We the hole deep and just large enough to lower a metal 5 gallon container into it. First we find ground that is easy digging and fill the hole with dry mesquite we find on the ground around old trees and burn it. we keep the wood going in until we have the hole about half full of glowing coals and lower the metal container down onto the hot coals using bailing wire attached to a piece of metal pipe that is much wider than the hole. We adjust the wire so there is no slack. Loose dirt is swept back from the rim of the hole first down to undisturbed solid dirt so no dirt will be knocked into the hole. The container with the meat is filled to about 2″ from the top with water and a round box of salt is added. When the meat is about half done we dump the water and refill it with just water or use an old Mormon practice of adding yellow mustard. I’m not sure why, but I have done it and it sure helps when cooking javalina which takes away some of the yuk taste. a piece of old metal roofing is carefully laid over the hole. Rocks are placed at each corner with a larger rock in the middle and dirt is used to seal the edges to make it airtight. NO VENT HOLES. The meat is always tender and we eat it in flour tortillas as burros, or as burritos as many say, as is, or with red or green chili. We were always careful not to knock dirt into the hole when uncovering the pit but a flat metal piece cut to fit the top with cutouts for the wires would be a good idea. You might be real surprised to learn that the meat form cow heads cooked like this is the meat used in some of the best tacos in Mexico, “Tacos de Cabeza”. Just add this meat, salsa and your fillings to some soft cooked corn tortillas and wow. OH, I forgot about people seeing your smoke. there is smoke during the time you are butning the wood down to make the coals, but adding the wood a little at a time, and maybe doing it under a large tree would curtail the smoke, but in our dry are would probably catch the tree on fire. So..
I am happy you mentioned several times about the fire hazards involved with this Dakota Fire pit.
Same risks as any campfire. A lot of forest and grassland soils have PLENTY of flammable materials for a long lasting smoldering fire risk.
This writer said it well, CHECK your put “Out Fire ” to make sure it’s cold Out.
Uncontrolled Fire and disease are the 2 greatest risks to preppers. Ask anyone who lost their home to Uncontrolled Wildfire due to carelessness.
No State Farm Insurance after SHTF.
A little off this article’s topic but a wise camper-traveler includes the weather in their planning.
The weather I’m mentioning is global politics, you know SO IMPORTANT that the Media mentioned it AFTER article’s about “Prince Andrew” and Ads for Viagra.
The Deep State and their NATO Minions has completely dismissed Russia’s requests that that 404 error country called Ukraine NEVER becomes a member of NATO.
They have backed Russia into a very public corner AND our Feckless Leader has already announced prearranged war level “punishment ” for “Russian Agressons” .
NOTE Pre-arranged as in weeks before this situation Publicly Announced by our NY Times.
The Russians are patient but after the attempted Color Revolution last week (just before the NATO meeting) in K-stan,, they’re pissed.
Please DO a “lights out” Grid Down exercise for your family ASAP while you have a chance to buy and get things you LEARN from that exercise.
OR at least do a Dakota Fire pit to roast squirrels with.
Before someone starts bragging about the Mighty US Military I have one word for you Afghanistan.
Especially troubling abut the Kazak situation is reporting that the Turks, with our support, infiltrated thousands of Al Queda affiliated fighters to support the ‘revolution.’ The same Al Queda we fought for years in Iraq, then Obama began arming them in Libya and deployed them in Syria. Sadly, President Trump allowed the program to continue. Rebuilding Al Queda is about the most disgraceful thing our Country has ever done.
Biden is threatening to lock Russia out of the International banking system if Putin moves against Eastern Ukraine. What a colossal mistake that would be. Russia and China have already designed an alternate way to pay for imports and exports. If that happens most of Asia will leave the dollar, too. European countries are already using the dollars they hold to buy gold, Biden is ready to destroy the Dollar’s domination of the world w/o even knowing what he is doing. I’m worried about war (Putin has repeatedly said Russia isn’t Afghanistan, if we attack their homeland they can and will attack ours) but more worried about the serious long term damage Biden is going to do to our economy with his sanctions.While digging your Dakota firepit it is also time to start planning for some serious hard economic times in the next year.
Michael,
Very good advice to do a “lights out” exercise!
One concern I have is how fractionalized everyone is. During WW2, there was great cohesion in the U.S. as everyone looked upon themselves as being one country. We didn’t look at ourselves as being one ethnic group or another. Today, too many people “self-identify” as their own personal club. Even in this forum, look at how many people are down voting each other. All types of personalities are necessary for a group to function well. From the quiet contemplative and analytical types to the rough and ready, who will go full-on into the fire.
Another factor to consider when it is “lights out”, there needs to be something that serves no purpose at all, other than to give comfort or pleasure. For me, it is a couple of books I am looking forward to reading and will not crack open until I need a little escapism. A lot of kits seem to include a deck of cards – maybe that will work for others.
Appear weak when you are strong
Earth’s Hobo stove !?
i Like, OLE’!
That stove can be used to heat a teepee or tent with no bottom.
You dig your holes as usual then a trench off of the one holding the fire.
Place large stones over the trench that runs under your teepee or tent, then cover those with dirt.
Of course leave the long end open.
As the fire pit runs, the heat runs through that ditch/tunnel under your teepee/tent and out away from it.
Stones will absorb the heat from the fire thus warming your floor and giving off heat for a longer period of time.
Little to no risk of CO emitted since it is covered by stone and then dirt.
This is for a semi permanent abode (such as hunkering down for the winter).
This is similar to what some of the indians used to do with their adobe abodes.
Actually, what your describing Crazy squirrel was used in the Crimean War and the better American Civil War to heat Field Hospital Tents.
It’s called the Crimean Oven. Worth looking up for emergency built SHTF shelters. HOWEVER, both the fire end and the exhaust ends were outside the tents.
Sort of a low-tech poor man’s Rocket mass heater.
I’ve seen them used in hippie greenhouses and wofati homes (earth sheltered homes-barns).
That was a nice tutorial on the Dakota Fire Hole. Thanks for the photos. What, unfortunately, also stands out here are the irrelevant and ridiculous references to world politics, Biden, the Russians and United Nations. Are any of the rest of you just sick to death of hearing that kind of extreme partisan pro-civil war horseshit? Can we please catch a break from that crap long enough to just discuss a Dakota Fire Hole?
…just pay attention and be ready – the information is important.
Glad you were paying attention. Go forth and dig yourself a Dakota Fire Hole and test fire it 🙂
Melt some snow, cook up a squirrel on a stick. Lets get real world about it.
Your going to need it when the internet and grid is down (for reasons you don’t care to hear about).
Peace Out.
It used to bother me more but as I have searched old articles on this site I’ve found guys have always tended to go off on political and religious rants. Because, I’m thinking, you become a prepper because you think politics and economics are so screwed up the whole system is going to collapse. Let’s be honest, if you need to hide out in the woods and dig Dakota fire holes things aren’t going well. It’s real concerning right now to read what journalists outside of the U.S. and Western Europe are writing. We have a near complete news blackout here, don’t understand how it works. But I know this a dangerous few weeks we’re in and neither side is willing to negotiate. I’m so worried about what the fools running our government are doing right now I can’t focus my brain on digging a fire hole. What I do know from a long life running around in the woods is that the light from a fire in a Dakota fire hole will make you a target at night, and the smells of wood smoke and burning squirrel will make you a target by day. Your best bet is to cook your food, clean up the site, and move another 1/4 mile at least before you make a cold camp for the night.
I am as tired of hearing the political crap as you are but you should remember there is people living off the grid that just comes on to this site to read the articles and there are others like me that really don’t waste time watching the lieing media. I pick up some real data here by what different people are saying. I do not take this data as gospel but if enough people are saying the same thing then like the saying where there is smoke there surely must be fire. So at that point i start doing research to find out the truth about what is being said and the sad truth is mostly what is being said is true about Biden and the democratic party.
Dreaded,
You are to be commended for being faithful in your care of your wife and to do it within a budget that takes some talent to work with.
Are you able to get any respite care? It is extremely difficult to find that type of assistance though I did find listings on the web for volunteer organizations when I typed in “free elder care”. They seem to send out other seniors as volunteers to help with respite care. Of course, to find someone who would help out with your quality of care is another matter.
I do not remember if you are one but it seems that there are several combat wounded vets on this site. When I did a search on line for organizations that assist Combat Wounded Vets with home repairs, I found several. I looked at Home Depot’s site, as they list the organizations that they donate to. There are other organizations that help with home repairs for others, such as Habitat for Humanity.
Many areas have churches that regularly volunteer with home repairs. In my area there is a dominant religious group that is always offering to help me out but I know that it comes with their goal of drawing me into their group which isn’t quite Biblical. In fact, right now I have a beautiful flower bouquet on my table from one of their members who comes by regularly to remind me of their religious group’s offers. They are all very kind but not the group for me.
I am listing all of the above options because I have found, for myself, I have a super difficult time of even admitting that I could use some help. I thought that, maybe, by seeing how many organizations there are on line, you would see that there are many who really would like to help out.
Once some respite care for your wife and some needed home repairs are done, it will free you up for more prepper style tasks.
No you cannot catch a break from that stuff you call crap. Better to keep facing the daily reality’s of life than to hide from them. Most of my family members do that. Hide. Denial is as bad as ignorance.Sad situation. Get Glenn Beck’s new book, ” The Great Reset”, read it. And keep preparing for a different way of life.
It is true most people are not living in reality.
Thing you may not understand about me, is that I do face daily realities, because I have no choice. You see my wife is invalid and bed ridden. I take care of her at home and that means doing all the chores, giving her baths, changing her bedding and so on. Because I am a real man and love my wife, I would not leave her side if the whole dam country came against me. See I would fight to the death to protect my family which will most likely be the case for me. I am not trying to disguise the facts of my situation by ignoring the realities.
The reality for me is this, I cannot bug out, my place is not good enough for defense, nor is it big enough to support my family when the SHTF happens. So, I will die but there will be many enemies accompanying me. People will say oh you can plan for this and make changes to improve your situation. I say try living on Social Security and see just how much you have left after all the deductions. It mostly takes money to make those changes. The changes I have made which are many costs nothing except for the food I was able to put back and that came from work I was able to get after I retired.
Thanks for writing this Michael.
I have become interested in the Dakota Fire Hole, wanting a way to cook, keep the fire and smoke less noticeable as times go forth.
I have began the work on making an earthen oven before winter hit but then realized
the need to have more careful means to cook and be less detectable than an earthen oven will be probably in times to come.
I’ll definitely be putting this information to use and making one as soon as can get a spot clear enough from snow and the ground somewhat unthawed.
I have a great spot near a pine tree that will be very good for diffusing smoke.
Anywhere there are trees you are at risk of starting a root fire that can smolder fire months. When the root. Gets near the surface it can take off. The same can happen with a “bean hole” cooking system where you bury a pot covered with coals. Be super careful of where you set up either system. Close to trees may sound good for hiding your smoke but it also makes it more likely that roots will be exposed.
Jim: if yours is the only fire around, I would agree 100%. In a world where there are all kinds of fires burning such as an urban area where folks are bugging in it is very difficult to tell from whence the smoke is coming. I speak from first hand knowledge having experienced a wildfire through the area and coming back home while the fire still burned in the area albeit several miles away. Everyone was on high alert and anytime there was a noticeable increase in the smoke due to s wind shift the web site Next Door, I think is the name, was filled with, “Does anyone know where the smoke is coming from? “ type of comments.
If we are talking about an EMP or CME there will be so many fires burning from downed electrical components that you could have one of those half a drum barbecue units filled with oak in a roaring blaze and not many would be able to tell where the fire is.
Now there are certainly aromatic meats that just seem to travel for miles. I wouldn’t fry bacon outdoors if I didn’t want to have a bunch of new friends join me for a bacon fest. I wouldn’t barbecue meat for the same reason. I would do most of my cooking indoors and cook it by dropping it in boiling water and letting it sit on a very low simmer in a closed pot until done.
I wonder how boiled bacon tastes? Well, what doesnt kill you makes you stronger, so I guess boiled bacon will make me stronger because it doesn’t sound that delicious sitting here typing this. I guess that means I’m not hungry enough.
LCC have you ever eaten ham and beans? Most bean pot and bean soup has bacon.
As Wierd AL’S song says “Baked,boiled or fried Just Eat it ” 🙂
Hey Jim, I definitely won’t be putting it too close to the tree but somewhat near. I don’t need roots exposed or burning
I have nothing to add except, hello all (my master’s degree advisor infomed me that my writing is too wordy).
I visited (just passing through) a state campground in the Mt. Hood area of Oregon. It was late fall and very cold, with some snow on the ground. There was absolutely no one else in the campground. As I drove through, slowly, to see what the sites were like, I detected some smoke coming from the ground where there was no snow. It amazed and frightened me. Soon I could see smoke coming from several other close by areas. The inner earth was on fire!
I summoned up the responders and they began their set-up and work plan. Amazing experience. They said it will take weeks to completely extinguish it. WoW! Be careful, Folks.
Hi all, A little off topic, sorry, but I live in Australia and have over the years got into wood / charcoal gassification to run a generator and produce power. Alternatively use the wood gas to directly run propane / NG appliances. In my quest to produce power I have come across some interesting links on Youtube from do-it-yourself types. I also made very good friends with Matt Ryder from “Thrive off Grid” who has perfected this process over the last ten years or so to the point he has developed a push button solution to the whole process. Yes! I am giving him a plug but I’m also hoping to help out my fellow preppers, many of which I am sure would benefit from a chat with Matt and appreciate his knowledge. Cheers!- Grant
Thank you for the info and your reference to Matt Ryder. I’ve been assembling materials with the intent of building a unit with plans I’ve had for several years. My dream has always been to power a small engine to turn a PTO-powered generator and be able to electrify my house with wood. Probably not the most efficient or labor saving way to do it, but if I can keep my lights, pump and refrigerator/freezer by feeding a fire, I’ll take it!
Thanks Wicky. Appreciate you sharing Thrive Off Grid with Matt. This could be an option to definitely use. I still worry about the noise but wouldn’t be worrying about gas to fill a generator.
Thank you for the reference to Mr. Ryder, I will be looking into his work.
I’ve been gathering materials with the intent to build a gassification device. I’ve had the plans for quite a few years, but I’m now finding more time at my retired age.
My end game is to run a converted small car engine to turn a PTO-driven generator. The thought of electrifying my house – lights, refrigeration, pump – just makes me happy. Power grid down, no gas to run generators, but I’ll have lights! lol
Hi Cindy and flyovercindy, As Matt would tell you the trick is to turn your timber to charcoal and then gassify the charcoal. Saves having to try and filter out the tar and destroying engines. There are Youtube videos that show you easily how to turn timber to charcoal with just a couple of 44 Gallon drums. I also have some bits and pieces to make a crude charcoal gassifier but I chose Matt’s because he has done all the hard yards and fine tuned everything so it is all electronically controlled and automatic. I have followed him over the years through most of the process and I figured it was worth the price if I’m serious about surviving a shtf scenario. Noise is a drawback and I guess solar and wind energy solve that to some degree
Cheers – Grant
Having a #10 can cut out on both ends as a temporary chimney helps to get a Dakota Fir Hole started.
Hey Dreaded,
I totally hear what your saying taking care of your wife and difficult to do much. I don’t really think it’s so much that you need to bug out. You do what you have to do.
I understand full well living on SS and not a lot left after bills, etc.
I’ve learned to cook a lot from scratch last several years, and get what I can.
Also started using recipes from the The Lost Super Foods book that is a less expensive way to make things for now and put some back. Otherwise it becomes overwhelming.
We each have to do what we are able to and not necessarily pattern after what everyone else is doing. Just do your best in the reality you live in.
I am glad to understand this survival skill. Perhaps I can build one lined with brick or rock, as my soil is very sandy/rocky albeit dry. Can you run a metal pipe between the 2 holes? This could be a fun cooking hole for practicing and teaching with the kids.
Sagebrush Lin, I could not reply to your comment about help.
I had Medicaid that is set up along with Medicare that gives my wife assistance by supplying a helper a couple hours a week along with things like wheelchairs, medical beds and ect. This was back in 2019 and 2020. They still are actively helping but I made the decision to put on hold this helper due to the omicron virus.
My wife if she gets the virus is most likely not going to survive. So, I isolate her as much as possible from outside contact. This does not include family and friends. They know her situation and know if any of them are sick in any way not to come around. So, until this virus is no longer a real threat, I don’t think it would be advisable for me to get help from outside.
I am a vet but not disabled. I do have family that can and does help when I ask for it.
Dreaded,
Thank you for the reply. I have been in a situation of taking care of a couple of people who were at the skilled nursing level of care but still in their own home. One of them was such for many years. Help, even with good pay, was a difficult thing to find so I am happy to hear that you have family that will help.
You are making some very good choices.
Thank you for having this powwow. There are a great many words here to learn from. Our camp once found it appropriate to use a yard long chimney flue and elbow at an angle. Twigs and small branches inside the elbow made for a good fire we’ve used for 1000 moons! It also can be taken to the next camp. ~ In all your trails and trials, rest but never give up.
Thanks for the article for sharing how to dig the Dakota fire pit of Native Americans. Through this article, I also know and understand more about how to dig a Dakota fire pit
Thank you for the reference to Mr. Ryder, I will be looking into his work.