How to Start a Fire With Pine Needles

Pine needles provide the initial surge of flames from which campfires like this one can be built.

Building a campfire requires an initial surge of flames to ignite smaller wood and tinder from which larger blazes can be kindled. Though pine needles burn quickly and make poor overall fuel for fires, the pine oils inside the needles make them one option for sparking the flame at the base of properly built fires. Using dry, brown needles collected from the base of coniferous trees is best for this process.

Things You'll Need

• 2 to 4 handfuls of dry, brown pine needles (depending on desired fire size)
• Small pile of dry twigs and small sticks
• Pile of small, dry branches (1/2 to 1 inch in diameter and broken into pieces 6 to 12 inches long)
• Pile of medium- to large-size dry wood (2 to 4 inches in diameter)
• Wooden stick matches

Instructions

1. Place the dry, brown pine needles in a mound in the center of the fire pit or desired campfire area.

2. Lean the dry twigs and small sticks around the mound of pine needles in a tepee formation.The formation should be relatively tight around the pine needles, providing enough fuel to catch and keep the fire going.

3. Light the pine needles by holding a lit match near the bottom of the needles and allowing the flame to thoroughly catch all sides of the mound before dropping the match in the center of the fire.

4. Allow the flames to spread to the dry twigs and small sticks, then carefully lean the small branches against the flaming twigs, creating a larger tepee layer around the perimeter.

5. Allow the flames to catch on the small branches, then carefully lean the medium and large logs against the flaming wood in yet another tepee layer.

6. Add medium- and large-size wood pieces as necessary to refuel the fire for campfire tales or roasting marshmallows.

Tips & Warnings

• Starting with small wood and building up to larger wood allows flames to spread easier without smothering the fire.

• After the initial start, avoid using pine needles as additional fuel because the quickly-flaring-then-subsiding flames will draw oxygen away from the fire.

• Always build campfires in areas away from debris, forest brush and other flammable materials. Use designated fire areas, pits or rings when available.

References

• "Boy Scout Handbook," 10th edition; 1990
• "Boy Scout Fieldbook," Third Edition; 1984