Camping in the wilderness is a great way to escape everyday life but if you are not equipped with every useful resource then your camping trip can be no more than a hassle. And a campfire is not an exception. Being the heart of the campsite, every camper must know how to light a campfire. Before you head out to the woods read this guide to know how to collect firewood and how you can light them.
How to start a Campfire?
Nothing is as comforting and soothing as a warm campfire especially when you have spent the entire day in outdoor activities. Setting up a campfire isn’t as easy as adjusting a few logs and lighting a match. But requires much patience and effort from the camper. Try the following steps to light the campfire of your dreams.
Choose A Safe Spot
The first step in setting up a campfire is finding a safe spot where you can safely light your fire. While choosing a spot make sure that there are no dead branches, dry grasses, or brush around.
Find or Set Up A Fire Ring
This step helps you in constructing the layout of your campfire and also prevents the fire from spreading and turning into wildfires.
Gather FireWood
Firwood is the heart of a campfire. So begin by searching for good firewood around your camp or purchase it from a woodshop.
Light The Campfire
To ignite the tinder use a matchstick or a lighter then blow air towards the fire to let oxygen enter the burning space a sit will allow the wood to prolong the fire.
Add The Kindling
Adding kindling on the top of the tinder acts as fuel and lets the fire grow more. But make sure both the tinder and kindling must be dry.
Celebrate
Once you are done lighting the fire you are free to celebrate your success and enjoy the night.
Extinguish The Campfire
Extinguish the fire completely after you are done using it because it can be dangerous for kids and can harm them in your absence.
Clean Up The Campfire
When the woods have completely burned and become cool then dismantle your campfire structure and clean up the space for the next campers.
Materials You Will Need For Building A Campfire
Below are a few necessary materials without which a campfire can not be set. Before leaving for your camping journey make sure that you have picked them or try finding them around your camp if you have forgotten to keep them.
- Tinder
Cardboard strips, wood chips or shavings, wadded-up paper, dryer lint, pine needles, dry leaves or grass, commercial fire starters, candle wax, sticks, or bricks can be used as tinders to catch fire.
- Kindling
Use small twigs or branches as kindlers since they are thin and can easily fuel the fire.
- Firewood
Firewood is the heart and fuel of fire and needs to be free of moisture to produce better results. Use Beech, Ash, Oak, Maple, Birch, or Cherry. They are among the best fire catchers and ignite instantly.
Spark Or Flame Source
The final thing step in lighting a fire involves a flame source or spark. Use lighter, match sticks, flint, and steel for flaming the fire.
What are the Types Of Firewood can be used for campfires? What Kind Of Wood Should I Use?
There are 2 primary kinds of wood used for fueling a campfire. They are:
Hardwoods
Despite being expensive and difficult to ignite, hardwoods that usually come from a dicot tree, like oaks, ash, or beech burn slowly and prolong the fire.
Softwoods
Softwoods, also known as gymnosperm trees are cheap, easier to ignite, and burn faster making them ideal to use in wet conditions. Spruces, pines, yews, and firs are some of the examples of softwoods.
Different Types Of Campfires
The cooking potential, heat output, and length of the fire depend on the style with which the wood has been ignited.
#Tepee Or Cone
A tepee fire usually resembles a cone that has a wide diameter base that lets more oxygen in making it the classic choice for a campfire.
#Log Cabin
This type of fire is built using the cabin arrangement structure which is much easier and easy to maintain.
#Platform Or Upside-Down Pyramid
This fire is very similar to the log cabin fire. The difference only lies in how distant the logs are. The logs in platform fire are usually placed closer. Also, the fire is ignited from the top as compared to the log cabin that is lit from the bottom.
#Star
As the mane implies, this fire resembles the shape of a star. The fire is efficiently long since their logs are burnt slowly from the ends.
#Lean-To
The woods used in lean-to-fire serve as windbreakers that help in battling against high wind.
How To Make Your Firewood Last Longer
#Make A Smaller Fire
A smaller fire usually lasts long so try building a small fire.
#Block The Wind
Blocking the wind helps the fire to last long. Use bigger logs or try the lean-to type of fire to stop the wind from putting out the fire.
#Reduce Airflow Into The Fire
Reducing airflow is very similar to blocking the wind. If you are camping in an area where there is a high wind then you need to make extra efforts in lighting a fire. The wind usually stops the fire from igniting properly and consumes more time making it much more difficult for the campers. But if you use things that can act as a wind barrier between the fire and the wind you can make it happen. Also, if you place the logs in the same direction towards which the wind blows your fire can last long by blowing the fire towards your logs.
#Opt For Larger Logs
Larger logs help in extending the duration of a fire because they are larger and consume more time to burn properly.
How To Determine How Much Firewood You Need For Camping
Consider the following points while deciding the quantity of firewood:
#Trip Length
The longer the camping trip, the more wood you’ll need for your campfire. Ask the locals or take suggestions from your friends who have already experienced a camping trip. To further avoid any circumstance, keep woods more than the requirement.
#Campfire Habits
The wood you will need for lighting a campfire sometimes depends on your habits and activities. If you have planned cooking and bonfire activities for your camping then be prepared and collect an ample amount of wood that you will require while executing them.
#Campfire Purposes
The purpose of the fire indicates much about how much firewood will be required. Decide why you need fire. Whether it’s for cooking or just warmth. For cooking, you will need more firewood since cooking takes time and requires more heat.
#Local Weather Conditions
Wet and windy conditions are not considered ideal for campfires. If such kind of weather is expected then keep an extra bundle of wood and igniting equipment for fueling the burning efficiency of your firewood.
#Wood Moisture Content
Avoid damp, wet, and moisture-containing wood since it takes more time to burn.
#Camping Season
The season is an important factor in determining how much wood will be required. If there is any kind of moisture present in the environment keep additional wood. For instance, humidity, rain, snow, or storm.
#Local Regulations
Before heading out to any campground ask the local regulatory authorities if the fire is allowed or not.
Remember Fire Safety At Campfire
Be it bonfire or cooking, while planning campfire activities it is imperative that you guide your family about fire safety. Follow the below habits to avoid fire damage:
- Never leave your fire unattended
- Flame it off if you are leaving the campfire spot
- Light a campfire in a safer place
- Keep your kids away from it
- Keep an eye on the fire
- Before sleeping, put it out
- In an emergency, throw water or sand to extinguish it.
FAQs
Is It OK To Leave Firewood Uncovered?
If you are staying in an area where rain is infrequent and the weather is dry then it is fine if you leave the wood uncovered. But you should still be cautious about the wood getting wet because it cannot light a fire when they are wet.
What Kind Of Wood Should I Use?
There are various firewood available that are equally useful in lighting a fire. To name a few, these are; Oak, Birch, Beech, Ash, Maple, Cherry, or Black Cherry.
How To Gather Firewood Around Your Campsite?
Gathering firewood in the wilderness is much easier. You can find firewood here and there. But before picking them go through the local campfire regulations. If they allow you to pick them there you go. But if they restrict campers then you should not use them, instead, buy them from the nearest woodshop.
How Much Firewood Do I Need For Camping?
Campers at least need 3 to 5 bundles of firewood daily to fuel a fire. But if you wish to extend the period of campfire then keep an extra bundle of wood in case you run short of it.
How To Store Firewood While Camping?
During the daytime when the firewood is not in use, keep the wood under a protective covering to secure it against moisture. Be it rain, snow, or water, you must ensure that the wood remains safe from all of these. Use a tarp to keep it inside your car.
How Much Firewood Is In A Bundle?
A typical firewood bundle contains 4 to 6 pieces of wood. But it can vary according to different shopkeepers and suppliers. They can keep as much firewood as they wish.
Where To Get Firewood For A Camping Trip?
You can either purchase firewood from a local wood shop or collect firewood from the surrounding area if the local campfire regulations allow campers.
Why Do You Need a Campfire?
A campsite is usually cold at night so a campfire is needed to warm up the surrounding area. Also, the nights are darker so light is needed. And there is no better option than a campfire. Its cheerful glow and the exhibiting vibes set the mood for the entire place and let families enjoy their time sharing stories, playing games, and drinking a hot cup of coffee.
How To Start A Campfire With Wet Wood?
Lighting wet firewood is difficult for even seasoned campfire-starting experts. But if you follow these steps you can do it easily:
- Needle-bearing trees such as spruce, firs, or pines have sticky wood that is highly inflammable. So opt for them if there is rain or snow.
- Choose a tepee style of fire that will let the fire dry out the wood and extend the fire.
- Barks are supposed to be fire-resistant and do not let wood catch fire. So whenever you start lighting the campfire make sure that you have peeled off the bark properly.
- Cut the wood or split it into 2 pieces. This will let the inner dried part of the wood catch the fire easily.
- Light the wood from the same direction where the air is flowing from. This will help the flame move towards the stick and let it catch and spread the fire.
- Soak cotton balls, dryer lint, and fire bricks in petroleum jelly to catch fire instantly.
If none of these steps has been able to start a fire, then seeking the help of the fire helpers or native campsite people is the last resort.
How To Build The Best Campfire For Cooking?
There are different fires for different cooking materials. Try the following fire for different cooking styles and supplies:
- To cook in pots and pans you need to have platform fires
- If you are cooking with foil then any fire is suitable because they can directly into the coals.
- Try cooking food with a lean-to or tepee fire if you are using sticks or skewers since they are easily burned.
Campfires are the perfect way to enjoy a night under the stars, spend quality time with your family, and soak the entire aura of the surrounding environment. Also, when you spend the entire day hiking, then there is no better way to end your tiring nights than with a roaring campfire that makes your trip even more enjoyable. We hope that this guide has been useful enough to inform you about the different ways to light a campfire. Happy Bonfire