How to Build A Campfire

Learn how to build a one match campfire outside or in your wood stove.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• dry tinder
• dry kindling
• wood
• a match

1. Locate a safe place for your campfire. Do not build a fire near or under trees or near other flammable plants or structures. If you are building a campfire on snow dig an area out on which to build your fire otherwise your fire will sink as it melts the snow.

2. Gather all the materials that you will need. Tinder is small, easy to ignite material, paper, thin branches, leaves, wood chips, etc. You will need more of this than you think, so don't skimp. Kindling is slightly bigger material than tinder and will require more heat for a longer time to catch on fire. Finally you need a supply of the wood you'll be burning for your fire.

3. Pile up your tinder and then place the kindling around and over it. You can stack the kindling around the tinder in a pyramid fashion or use bigger pieces of wood to frame around the tinder and place the kindling across the top of the tinder pile, resting on the wood frame. Have additional kindling readily available to add to the fire as it begins to burn. Light the tinder.

4. As the tinder/kindling pile begins to burn slowly add pieces of additional kindling in order to build up a hot base to which you will add the larger pieces of wood.

5. When your kindling fire is burning well begin adding larger pieces of wood. Then grab a seat, a bag of marshmallows and enjoy your fire.

Tips & Warnings

• If any of your wood is damp or wet you're going to need lots more of it to be able to dry it out as your fire burns.
• Be patient, adding larger pieces of wood too soon can suffocate your fire, this is how most fires fail.
• Make sure that you extinguish your fire completely when you are finished. Make sure that the ground underneath your fire is soaked well with water. Fires can begin in the sod a fire was built on.
• Pay attention to where the sparks from your fire land.
• Never put any explosive materials in or near the fire, cans, lighters and pressurized articles can become dangerous projectiles.

[wirelessjen]

on 1/14/2009 Good tips. Kindling is so important.

[AdirondackTrina]

on 1/14/2009 This is a great one for camping, thanks!