Fire is a camper’s best friend. It creates warmth and light and is good for cooking and signaling when lost. Most importantly a campfire is very enjoyable.
Here are the tricks of the trade for constructing a fire.
First, be aware of specific campsite restrictions on fire building and wood collection.
A successful fire needs five things: tinder, kindling, fuel, oxygen, and minimal moisture.
- Tinder is any material that combusts easily. Examples are dry grass, birch bark, pine needles, cattail fluff, shredded cedar bark, etc. Make sure to gather multiple handfuls of this stuff.
- Kindling consists of an assortment of twigs and branches. Collect three different sets ranging from the size of a match to as thick as markers. Make sure the twigs snap easily to indicate they are dry. It’s always best to get as much kindling as possible; it’s useful for reviving a dying fire.
- Fuel is any wood that is as thick as a flashlight or larger. Softer woods burn faster, whereas harder woods will burn slower. The amount you have will determine how long your fire will last.
- The level of of oxygen that’s present is determined by the fire structure.
Here is the best way to construct a fire.
- The first step is to build an elevated platform by placing two hardwood logs parallel to one another. Then lay medium wood pieces perpendicular. This allows for air flow and gets the fire off the wet ground.
- Secondly, construct a wooden perimeter on top of the platform. (This serves to bounce heat back into the fire and allows for the easy addition of more firewood.)
- Thirdly, make a secondary piling of larger kindling inside your wooden frame.
- Lastly, place your tinder on top of the kindling. Place your medium kindling in a tepee arrangement above your tinder. Have the smallest kindling packed together right where you will light the tinder.
- Light the tinder with a match, lighter, or flint and steel.
- Place the thin kindling on top and watch it burn.
- Once the flame has grown, add larger sized kindling and fuel wood across the wooden perimeter to keep the fire going.
- If the fire begins to die down, you can either blow slowly under the fire to increase oxygen or add thin kindling.
Here are some tips for wet weather fire making:
- Collect tinder and kindling found hanging above ground.
- Use a pencil sharpener to get dry shavings from the inside of sticks.
- Split smaller fuel wood with a knife or hatchet to expose the dry core. Birch bark burns well when wet.
- Place wet logs on the wooden perimeter or base platform. They will dry out as the fire progresses and will eventually start to burn.
Christopher Glover is fifteen years old and a freshman at Chapel Hill High School. He enjoys art, theater, filmmaking, cooking, and hanging out with his friends. Christopher is currently working on his Eagle project with Boy Scout Troop 835.