This post shows you how to build a fire with multiple resources available. This guide may be used in multiple scenarios, but is specific to camping in the backcountry with limited resources.
Location
Before traveling into the woods, check local guidelines to clarify where fires are prohibited to avoid endangering wildlife and plants. At higher elevations, fires are typically prohibited. Pack a camp stove to avoid wildfire at high altitude.
Build your fire in an open, dry, spot away from surrounding brush or trees. A good rule of thumb is as least 6 feet in each direction. Additionally, heat travels upward, so avoid areas with brush or tree branches located above the fire. Create a fire ring to contain the fire and prevent spreading.
Most regions prohibit transporting firewood to the area. Outside firewood can contain invasive species that have the potential to harm local wildlife.
Firewood
There are 3 key components to a campfire.
- Tinder
- Kindling
- Firewood
Tinder consists of small, easily lit debris that catch your kindling on fire. Paper or cardboard are great examples of this element. In the wilderness, tinder includes dry pine needles or leaves.
Kindling is a slightly larger material that burns longer to ensure the firewood stays ignited. Kindling heats the firewood to allow it to sustain a flame. This element is typically composed of small twigs.
Firewood is the larger logs that burn for extended periods to keep your fire going. Firewood consists of dry, medium sized wood, usually found on the ground around your campsite.
Wet Wood
In the backcountry, there may be times where dry wood is difficult to find. Follow these tips to start a fire with wet wood.
- Extra tinder. Pack waterproof fire sticks to make starting a fire in wet conditions easier, or pack a dry newspaper to use. More needles, leaves, or wood shavings will help you start a fire in wet weather if you don’t have other options.
- Expose the inside of the wood. Bark acts as protection to preserve the inside of wood from getting wet. Peeling the bark or breaking wood will expose dry, ignitable areas that can be used for your fire.
- Build a teepee frame. A cone shaped fire allows the wood to dry out faster and sustain a flame.
Build a Fire
There are various ways to build the frame of a fire. This guide details how to build a cone shaped fire, which is the most common technique. Building a fire in a teepee shape allows adequate oxygen to keep the flame ignited. Additional logs are added periodically to extend the amount of time the fire burns, if desired.
Step 1
Arrange your tinder in a small pile at the base of your fire. Adequate tinder allows the flame to burn long enough to ignite the kindling.
Step 2
Make a teepee of kindling over your tinder pile. This element is small enough to catch fire, and large enough to sustain a flame.
Step 3
Construct a teepee of firewood around your kindling, starting with medium sized logs. After starting your fire, larger logs can be added to sustain a flame for a longer time period.
Ignite a Flame
Light the tinder on fire and shield from wind if needed. The flame will slowly ignite the kindling, then catch the firewood on fire to eventually sustain a flame and grow. If the flame starts to diminish, lightly blow on the fire to feed it more oxygen after igniting the tinder.
Matches/Lighter
Keeping waterproof matches or a reliable lighter in your pack is useful in multiple scenarios. If you have matches or a lighter on hand, simply light the tinder to start your camp fire.
Flint
Flint is another great fire starter to pack on any adventure. Use a knife or striker to create a spark. Create a small pile of tinder and strike the flint close toward the pile. Eventually, a spark will catch the tinder on fire, then transfer to the tinder inside of your firewood teepee.
No Equipment
Even without matches, lighters, or flint, it is still possible to create enough heat to start a fire. Although there are some unavoidable circumstances where you would need to start a fire without equipment, you will save time and energy if you are able to pack matches, flint or a lighter before heading out. Click here to learn more about how to start a fire without equipment.
Leave No Trace
Leaving no trace means that you should not be able to recognize that there was ever a campfire. Over 80% of wildfire is caused by humans. Backcountry campfires can be dangerous to the environment if not extinguished properly. Always keep water nearby to control the fire if it grows too large. Finally, after you have finished using your fire and the logs have burned completely to ash, spread over a large area once they have cooled.
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