For many campers, one of the highlights of outdoor excursions is building a campfire. Beyond providing warmth in chilly weather, a campfire also serves as a protective barrier against wild animals. It has become a tradition for outdoor enthusiasts, with the recommended approach being to start with a small fire and gradually build it up. However, it’s essential to strike the right balance, ensuring the fire remains manageable. To create a successful campfire, you need to consider three types of fuels: tinder, kindling, and firewood.
Types Of Firewood
Not all firewood yields good results, making it valuable to understand the characteristics of different types. Although, during outdoor camping, you may not always have the luxury of choosing your firewood. You must work with what is available at the moment.
- Oak: Oak stands out as the most commonly used firewood. It burns slowly, being dense and capable of sustaining a fire for an extended period.
- Maple: Maple firewood, known for its density, is excellent for maintaining high flames over an extended duration.
- Birch: If you desire firewood that ignites quickly and produces high heat, birch is an ideal choice.
- Ash: Ash is a self-burning firewood, generating steady and high flames.
- Beech: Beech, a dense and heavy wood, should be dry before use.
5 Ways To Start A Campfire With Firewood
Building the perfect campfire in the woods requires effort. Let’s explore steps you can follow to create a solid campfire with firewood.
1. Find Or Make A Fire Pit
A fire pit serves the purpose of containing the fire, preventing it from turning into a wildfire. It is highly recommended to build a campfire in an existing fire pit. If your camping site lacks a designated fire pit, you can create one. Before lighting a fire, familiarize yourself with all campsite rules and regulations.
While constructing a fire pit, ensure it is away from flammable materials like wood, branches, or leaves. The base of your fire pit should rest on sand or bare soil. If no bare soil is available, dig until you find it, clear away the forest duff, and place rocks around the area, adding sand inside. Now your fire pit is ready for use.
2. Gather Firewood
Every successful campfire starts with quality firewood. Look for firewood in your campsite or park area. Bringing firewood from outside is not recommended. Firewood logs don’t need to be excessively large, as larger logs take longer to burn. Opt for dry firewood, as it ignites more easily compared to wet firewood.
3. Light The Fire
Various methods can be employed to light a fire in your pit. Here, we’ll discuss three common ways to arrange your fire.
Tepee: This is the most common and straightforward campfire to build. In a tepee, you don’t need a lot of firewood, and it ignites easily. Begin by creating a small cone with tinder and kindling, placing smaller logs around it. Leave a crack in your tepee to allow air to reach the fire and ignite the kindling. Build your tepee to the desired height by adding firewood. Light a fire under the tinder, and it will gradually spread from kindling to firewood. Add more firewood to extend the burn time.
Log-cabin: For a quick, large fire, opt for a log cabin. Lay large pieces of firewood logs on the pit, leaving space between them. Place smaller logs across the larger ones, creating a structure resembling a log cabin. Ensure there’s space in the middle for airflow to ignite kindling. Once it has burned for a while, collect the coal and add more firewood.
Upside-down Fire: Also known as a pyramid, the upside-down fire provides a long-lasting burn. Place large logs on the pit with minimal gaps. Layer smaller pieces of firewood over the logs until the structure resembles a pyramid. Put tinder and kindling on top and ignite. Once lit, you can enjoy your campfire without adding more logs.
4. Putting Out The Fire
Extinguishing your campfire is a crucial, more extended process than you might think. Begin by sprinkling water into the pit. Avoid pouring all the water at once, as it could flood the pit, rendering it unusable. Stir the water with a stick to thoroughly wet the ashes. After repeating this process, dispose of all ashes by collecting and dispersing them around the campsite.
5. Safety First
Practicing caution in your surroundings while building a campfire is essential. Take all possible safety measures to ensure your safety and that of fellow campers around the fire.
- Never leave your campfire unattended.
- Burn logs in small quantities for easier fire management.
- Ensure there’s no flammable material near your campfire.
- Avoid pouring gasoline to enhance your fire.
- Do not leave the site before completely extinguishing the fire.
Conclusion
Lighting a campfire is a must for fully enjoying your camping experience. Whether you’re a camping expert or a novice, learning how to build a campfire is an essential skill, and we hope this guide will assist you in doing so.