The fire is the only safe place in the forest.
During the day, you gather wood, prepare Firewood, and build everything you need before darkness arrives. At night, every piece of fuel matters.
The campfire now burns down over time. As the Fire meter falls:
The flames become weaker.
The light around the player shrinks.
The forest becomes darker.
The fire eventually dies completely.
When that happens, there is nothing left between you and whatever is waiting outside the light.
This is one of the first major pieces of the nighttime survival loop. The next steps include adding Firewood refuelling, tying the protected area to the strength of the fire, and bringing the threats beyond the light to life.
What would you do if the fire went out before dawn?
Wishlist and follow Until the Fire Dies on Steam to follow development.