Building a campfire takes a bit of skill, but it can be fun to learn how to do it. The first thing you need to do, however, is make sure that you're being safe. You shouldn't' have to use lighter fluid or gasoline to light a campfire and, in fact, doing so can be very dangerous. If you want to do this right, make sure you follow some sensible guidelines.
Paper or a fire starter is the best way to start the initial flame. You can use a butane or Zippo lighter, or matches, to set off the paper. A torch lighter will usually work better for this than a regular Zippo because you can direct the flame a bit more. These lighters also work better in damp and even in wet conditions.
Get wood that is slightly larger than the kindling, wood that is fairly large and then some bigger logs for when the fire really gets going. You have to be able to build the fire up gradually and you have to have dry wood to do it. Wetter wood may burn once the fire is really hot, but it will put it out if you put it on the fire too soon. Split wood is the best wood for fires. If you have a hatchet or an axe, split some wood to make this easier on yourself.
When you build a fire, you have to make sure you have some way of putting it out close by. A bucket of sand is the best thing for this. Water is second best and it can take a surprising about of water to put out a fire that's going hot. Make sure you always start the fire in a pit. If there isn't a pit or a ring available, dig one. This is not only safer but also promotes better coal beds.
Your logs can crush out the fire if you put them on too soon. What you need is a good bed of hot ash. This takes time to develop, so plan on feeding the fire for a bit before you can get up and let it burn while you set up camp or take care of other issues. You shouldn't need anything more than a lighter, some wood and some paper to get a fire going. Before you start a fire, however, make sure you check the regulations in the area you're camping in. In some cases, fires are not allowed at all and there are stiff fines for starting one.
Paper or a fire starter is the best way to start the initial flame. You can use a butane or Zippo lighter, or matches, to set off the paper. A torch lighter will usually work better for this than a regular Zippo because you can direct the flame a bit more. These lighters also work better in damp and even in wet conditions.
Get wood that is slightly larger than the kindling, wood that is fairly large and then some bigger logs for when the fire really gets going. You have to be able to build the fire up gradually and you have to have dry wood to do it. Wetter wood may burn once the fire is really hot, but it will put it out if you put it on the fire too soon. Split wood is the best wood for fires. If you have a hatchet or an axe, split some wood to make this easier on yourself.
When you build a fire, you have to make sure you have some way of putting it out close by. A bucket of sand is the best thing for this. Water is second best and it can take a surprising about of water to put out a fire that's going hot. Make sure you always start the fire in a pit. If there isn't a pit or a ring available, dig one. This is not only safer but also promotes better coal beds.
Your logs can crush out the fire if you put them on too soon. What you need is a good bed of hot ash. This takes time to develop, so plan on feeding the fire for a bit before you can get up and let it burn while you set up camp or take care of other issues. You shouldn't need anything more than a lighter, some wood and some paper to get a fire going. Before you start a fire, however, make sure you check the regulations in the area you're camping in. In some cases, fires are not allowed at all and there are stiff fines for starting one.
About the Author:
Wendy is a consultant for a specialty torch lighters store and has expert knowledge of butane accessories, including windproof lighters.
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