An important task was the transportation of an ember to a new camp. It was from the glowing coal that the fires at a new campsite were ignited. The method for starting fires with flint and steel or the friction method of rubbing two sticks together were time-consuming so the communal fire was a necessary practice.

The naturally hollow bison bull horn was filled with punky wood into which an ember was placed. Such an ember could burn for over a week. The horn carrier was one of the first to lead the camp procession and he began the fire which was available to the village. Among the seven Sioux groups, each had their own fire horn carrier and thereby referred to themselves as the "Seven Council Fires" (rather than the word Sioux).

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