An odd discussion topic (a puzzle of sorts)

[gstelmack]

The color of smoke is still important to this discussion but has not been answered yet as far as I can see (or I'm going blind, which would be good to know as well).

[WSUCougar]

Originally Posted by Buzzbee

Or perhaps settlers are clearing land to build a settlement. They are burning miscellaneous deadwood and brush that otherwise can't be used in construction. They have two fires because one big one would be too hard to contain.

Funny you should mention that, since such fires (burning slag heaps) were common sights when I was a kid in the logging-heavy Pacific Northwest.

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

Let me throw another possibility at you: it's still mild here, so this isn't a question of warmth at night. What if these are just two massive cookfires for a sizable army?

Armies wouldn't have "massive" cookfires, groups of around 10 men each will prepare their own meals near their tents. Hence the "count the campfires and multiply by 10" theory of counting the enemy.

And again, an army would have openly blazing fires, they'd keep the smoke down to help hide the fact that they are there.

[WSUCougar]

Originally Posted by RendeR

Armies wouldn't have "massive" cookfires, groups of around 10 men each will prepare their own meals near their tents. Hence the "count the campfires and multiply by 10" theory of counting the enemy.

What if they really are roasting pigs?

Or what if these are ceremonial fires?

And again, an army would have openly blazing fires, they'd keep the smoke down to help hide the fact that they are there.

That's assuming that they don't want you to know they're there.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by WSUCougar

What if they really are roasting pigs?

Or what if these are ceremonial fires?

Could be a dual burial.

[WSUCougar]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

The color of smoke is still important to this discussion but has not been answered yet as far as I can see (or I'm going blind, which would be good to know as well).

Sorry, I forgot to reply to this: the smoke was white/gray.