Campfires are traditional at cottages, but for portability and concentrated heat, the Swedish Torch is a niftier contraption, using the chimney effect to feed a single-log fire with oxygen. Likely invented in the Thirty Years’ War by soldiers and foresters, some torch adaptations require drilled auger holes or hand-split channels. This version uses chainsaw cuts to stoke the flames.
Coniferous softwoods like spruce, pine, and fir work best for torches, and unseasoned wood is actually preferred over dry stuff because it lasts longer. The logs should be cut straight across so they stand up. Fire size is up to you: logs can be anywhere from 20″–40″ tall and 12″–24″ in diameter. Big logs burn longer and produce more heat, and they have a larger top surface for outdoor cooking.
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Make intersecting vertical cuts in the log, extending about three-quarters down the length. A small log may only need two perpendicular cuts. Larger ones can be cut into sixths or eighths, so they look like a sliced-up pie from the top.
To light the torch, stuff some fire starter or newspaper down into the crevices and light it. Then pile dry tinder on top of the torch, where it will catch fire and fall back inside, helping to ignite the core. As hot air rises from the fire, a fresh supply is drawn in at the bottom, force-feeding oxygen to the flames. When Swedish Torches are almost spent, they open up and fall apart, scattering embers—remember to burn them only on fire-proof ground and don’t leave them unattended.
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The single-log aspect lets you think differently about fire. Why not cut a cluster of multiple small torches? Or pack a pre-cut torch for a beach visit or an ice-fishing cookout?
This article was originally published in the September/October 2022 issue of Cottage Life.
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