Starting a Campfire

October 8 admin Starting a Campfire

The Campfire — Center Stage!

Campfire safety is the number one concern when building a campfire.  Before you even start to build a campfire, make sure you have a bucket of water and shovel nearby!   Check your surroundings around the fire pit and make sure the tents, overhanging limbs, and any other flammable items are a safe distance–at least six feet–from the fire pit.  Make sure there are no tree roots or underbrush close by.

By following these tips for starting a campfire you will have a warm fire glowing in no time.  You will need small and large pieces of wood and some kindling to build your campfire.  The wood should be dry and no more than two to three feed long.  It should fit inside of your fire pit.

1. The kindling is the base for starting a campfire.   To start the fire place a couple of handfuls of kindling in the center of the fire pit.  Kindling can be small pieces of wood, sticks, twigs, etc., and other fire starter materials such as dry leaves or grass which will get your fire going.  It is best to bring this with you as well as many parks and public areas will prohibit you from gathering fallen material from the ground as this is an important part of the ecosystem.  If you run out of kindling you can resort to using Doritos or chips, which also will work!
2. Place larger sticks and pieces of wood around the kindling.  This is the fuel for the fire.  Set some upright leaning inward so their tops meet at the center to form a teepee or pyramid over the kindling, allowing the air to circulate so oxygen will feed the fire.
3. Light the fire.
4. Add more kindling and small pieces of wood, if needed, to get the fire burning.
5. Continue to build the teepee with the larger pieces of wood.  As the fire begins to burn, place increasingly larger pieces of wood and logs on the fire, always stacking in a manner so air will circulate and the fire can breathe.   Keep the stack of wood small and contained.  Your goal is to keep the fire burning, not create a larger fire.

Check the rules of the campground regarding firewood, as some sites will not allow you to bring in firewood as it could  carry diseases.  Most campsites will have a place to purchase logs, and often the locals will offer firewood for sale.   If the campsite does allow you to bring your own that is always a good option as you know for sure you will have plenty of dry wood.  If it has been raining the day before it also might be best to bring at least a few dry logs to get the fire going, as the campers that have arrived before you may have grabbed all the dry wood from the campsite.

Whether you bring your own or plan to purchase the wood at your destination, be sure to bring the rest of the supplies needed–matches, kindling, and fire starters.

How much wood you need depends on how much time you plan to spend around the campfire.  Is it cool out?  Will you spend your evenings around the fire keeping warm?  Or is it hot, in the middle of summer, and you are only planning one meal over the fire roasting hot dogs?  The campfire is always  the center of activity at the campsite and creates a wonderful ambience with nature.  Don’t let a lack of adequate supply of logs keep you from the pleasures of the campfire.

An easy way to make fire starters to use in addition to the kindling to get your fire started is by using items you probably have at home and just throw away – egg cartons and paper towel/toilet paper rolls.

Fill the egg cartons with:

• Charcoal
• Dryer lint — keep an egg carton in an inconspicuous place close to the dryer to accumulate as you clean the vent
• Dried pine needles
• Sawdust
• Nut shells

Place a rubber band around it to ensure it stays shut. It is clean and easy to pack.

Use paper towel and toilet paper rolls by filling them with:

• Strips of newspaper or any scrap paper
• Tie the ends shut with twine and tissue paper and fill with the suggestions for egg cartons
• Old twine

Place the filled cartons or rolls under the logs to start the fire.

Never use a liquid igniter like lighter fluid or gasoline on your campfire!.

When you leave MAKE SURE THE FIRE IS COMPLETELY OUT!!!  Scatter the ashes and sprinkle them with water.   Drench any charred logs with water, pull away from the ashes.  Sift your fingers through the ashes to make sure it is out.  If it is too warm for your fingers then it is not truly out.   (Do this before you pack up the soap!)

Building a campfire can be a lot of fun. But be sure to keep safety in mind before, during, and after you’ve built it. Visit Smokey Bear’s Campfire Safety guide for more information on building a safe campfire, which will help keep you, and others, safe when cooking and camping outdoors.

If scavenging for wood and building a campfire is not part of your plan for fun, then consider an easy alternative for having a campfire — the Campfire in a Can.  Simply attach a propane cylinder and you can easily light a realistic campfire to chase away the evening chill.

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