In a post‑apocalyptic world, the people who survive are often those retreating to the countryside and settling in tiny clusters of smallholdings, farmsteads, and scattered homesteads instead of dense, sprawling cities. In such a future of subsistence living, with little to no digital or technical communication methods available, and face-to-face contact becoming rare as networks shrink, how will we communicate with our neighbours?
Where neighbors may be miles apart, and carriages or postmen are as common as unicorns, you’ll need a way to let other friendly survivors know: you’re alive, you’re okay, or you’ve got something they need. And that’s where the humble candle comes in. In settings where modern infrastructure teeters, coloured flame signals can bridge the gap between isolated groups, allowing you to broadcast basic messages across distance without a single smartphone in sight. Set up your candle matrix, agree codes with your neighbours, and in the flicker of flame, reclaim communication in an analog world.
Why Candlelight Works
A single candle flickers with surprising reach, visible for more than a mile in the right conditions, and they are easy to pop in to a coloured, clear container. And amplify that with mirrors, tin cans, or wet glass can focus and project that glow even farther . Better yet, homemade candles aren’t rocket science - they are just rendered fat or wild beeswax wrapped around a cloth or plant-fiber wick. Long after batteries are myths, this simple craft keeps your signal going strong.
Using a matrix of coloured candles signals will enable complex messages to be sent easily. Here are a couple of message matrices that might be useful in a post-apoc world:
🔴🟢🔵 Matrix One: Threat • Direction • Action
This classic trio tells neighbours the immediate danger and what to do:
Candle Meaning Code Example
1st Threat Red = bandits / Green = zombies / Blue = storm
2nd Direction Red = west / green = right here / Blue = east
3rd Action Red = run / Green = shelter / Blue = send help
So: Red, green, blue means "We have bandits here, please send help."
🔴🟢🔵 Matrix Two: What You Need • Urgency • What You Can Trade
This version is perfect for barter-and-help messaging:
Candle Meaning Code Example
1st Need Red = water / Green = food / Blue = medicine
2nd Urgency Red = low / Green = medium / Blue = high
3rd Trade Offer Red = tools / Green = fuel / Blue = manual help
So: Green, blue, blue means “We need food urgently and can offer manual help in exchange.”
Tips for Clear Communication
- Scavenge coloured glass from broken vehicle lights, stained glass windows, lighting stores (which are unlikely to have been looted!), traffic lights etc.
- or Use clear plastic or glass containers and colour them using food dyes mixed with PVA glue (your local HobbyCraft is also unlikely to have been looted!).
- Put your candles in your highest window for best visibility.
- Keep your wicks trimmed for sharp, consistent flames that stay visible.
- Keep your coloured container very clean, wiping away any soot build up daily.
- As well as agreeing your signal matrix, agree with your neighbours when you will transmit and check for signals, eg on the hour during hours of darkness.
- Agree a backup, such as mirror flashes or taps on metal, which you can use if the candles fail.