Build a signal fire that gets seen

Step-by-step

1. 1

   Pick a spot with a wide sky view — a ridge, clearing, or lakeshore. Not under trees.

2. 2

   Build three fires in a triangle 25 m apart if you have the fuel; three of anything is a distress signal.

3. 3

   Keep a pile of green boughs, wet moss, or damp grass at each fire, ready to dump on.

4. 4

   Against snow use dark smoke: green vegetation. Against dark forest use white smoke: damp grass, moss.

5. 5

   Only light when you actually hear or see a search — smoke ignored is smoke wasted.