Why campfire smoke attacks you?!

I always thought that the mosquitoes were beating their wings thus wafting the smoke toward me, then they follow it in and get to feed on smoked human

Originally posted by VorpalF2F
I always thought that the mosquitoes were beating their wings thus wafting the smoke toward me, then they follow it in and get to feed on smoked human

I identify as mosquito and I can confirm this.

Interested video for sure.

So if all of the campers sit the same distance from the fire, and equally spaced around it, the smoke should go straight up.

Originally posted by VorpalF2F
So if all of the campers sit the same distance from the fire, and equally spaced around it, the smoke should go straight up.

Yes, that is such a collusion against us mosquitoes.

Originally posted by nsavov

Originally posted by VorpalF2F
So if all of the campers sit the same distance from the fire, and equally spaced around it, the smoke should go straight up.

Yes, that is such a collusion against us mosquitoes.

Years ago I worked in Northern BC as a prospector, and we had this extremely powerful insect repellent called DEET
I hated how it felt on my skin, so I put in on the cuffs of my shirt and on my hat.
It sorta worked.

Then I discovered the secret: Bathing. If you don't wash your clothes or body, after a few days the mosquitoes leave you alone [1] . We worked in 2-man camps. After a couple of days you don't smell yourself any more, and after a few more you don't smell your partner either.

The few mosquitoes that get through do their thing, but the small amount of venom they leave behind acts to help build up an immunity.
By the middle of the summer the bites no longer itch and by the end of the summer, you no longer even feel them bite.

Now 40 years later I only feel the first few bites — after that I don't notice.

[1] This sounds horribly unhygienic, but I rarely get sick then or now. I do pity the poor helicopter pilots though.
Once a month we got to spend 4 days in base camp with cooked meal and showers. A few days back in the bush and the mosquitoes are again tolerable

Originally posted by VorpalF2F
So if all of the campers sit the same distance from the fire, and equally spaced around it, the smoke should go straight up.

Yep assuming wind doesn't screw things.

PS: I mean strong wind

Not sure you want to make a campfire with a strong wind. That could be dangerous for the environment as well.

Than I think of a huge fire at the beach of Scheveningen at new years eve when houses and cars was damaged when there was strong wind.
Offcourse they build a fire location of more than 50 meters high.

Originally posted by SDK1987
Not sure you want to make a campfire with a strong wind. That could be dangerous for the environment as well.

If there is a strong wind, we never made campfires — except on the beach and if it is too strong, not even then, since it is unpleasant to sit around the fire, but if the wind is decently brisk, then the smoke blows only one way, and is easy to avoid.
And under those conditions, so are the mosquitoes.

Strong wind is not issue if stuff around is wet enough. This is often case in Finland in spring when snow is still melting or just melted.

Originally posted by ghaleon
Strong wind is not issue if stuff around is wet enough.

That's

Originally posted by ghaleon
Strong wind is not issue if stuff around is wet enough.

And if stuff around is wet enough, lighting the fire in the first place might be tough

Indeed. If it's raining it's tough to get a campfire.

Example of this wet condition was this spring in local river area. Very popular location during flooding. There is nice shack with free to use dry wood which you just need to carry yourself into designated campfire spots. During forest fire warning times making campfire is indeed illegal even in these locations.

When I was growing up we lived by the ocean, and frequently had fires on the beach that were made from driftwood.
Driftwood that has been soaked in seawater, but has dried out will sometimes show beautiful colours in the flames.

As long as the fire was below the high-tide line, we were never worried about starting wildfires.