What's the best way to start a campfire?

Answer 1

After 5 years of working at summer camps and starting over 400 fires the easiest way I have found to start a fire is to take four logs make a log cabin (two logs a little ways apart on bottom, then two more on top of them) then get a bunch of really small twigs and a bunch of bigger sticks. Pinecones don't really work, neither do pine needles.
Take a fist full of smaller twigs (they need to be thinner than a match) using your other hand twist the twigs all together, as if you were twisting a rope. Using a lighter or a match light your hand full of twigs, you want to light from the bottom. Once that start to get going lay it between the top layer of the log cabin and slowly start to add bigger sticks.
Air is now key. start by blowing slightly, you don't want to blow too much. Once You got a pretty goo sixe flame going you can add another layer to the log cabin.
If you are going to cook on the fire and want it to get really hot, ir if you just want it to get really big, then get a metal plate or something along those lines and fan the fire repeatedly really fast. Watch out if you do that, though cause when you are fanning it the flame will die down a little but the second you stop fanning, suddenly the flame will burst up.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

The safest way would be the following:

The ideal site to build a campfire would be a flat terrain with no branches hanging around; the campfire should be built away from the tents with the wind blowing from the direction of the tents. It is best to avoid building a campfire in windy conditions.

For starters dig a shallow pit and line it with rocks, the best material to use would be dead wood that has been lying around for some time. Small pieces of these should be used at first to kindle the fire and then feed it accordingly.

Use a matchstick to ignite the fire; avoid using gasoline or any such material. Do not try to build a blazing bonfire rather keep the flame down; also do not forget to keep a supply of water at hand to douse the fire if it gets out of hand. A shovel is a useful implement to carry as one can use it not only to dig the pit but also to douse the fire using mud or earth.

Remember to extinguish the fire before sleeping or when you leave the campsite completely. If one wishes to barbecue the best way to cook would be using embers rather than over the campfire.

Answer 4

In a hole is the best way. Dig a small air flow opposite of any prevailing wind to vent it to light it. Place highly flammable items at the bottom, then stack some dry wood on top of the ignition or starter source. Use a spark or a flame to light the starter, then place the starter at the bottom of the stack of wood.
Always clear the area around the fire of any flammable debris and have a pile of dirt or sand on the Windward side so that the fire can be put out when needed.
Safety First.

Answer 5

The best trick is to be prepared to start a fire in the rain. Have fire paste and wind/waterproof source of flame, know how to find relatively dry wood, know how to start a fire in good weather from found natural materials and keep it going. Without cover, it is near impossible to keep a fire going in the rain, especially if it's been raining in the past week. You need some way to get the wood drying out and some way not to fight the constant drenching. A cover can be a poncho, tarp, jacket, grocery bag, planks.... stretched over the fire. If it's a matter of survival, a shelter is a higher priority than fire. Then with shelter you have a chance of fire.

Answer 6

There are several styles of campfires. The easiest to make is the "lean to." Place the thickest log along one side of the fire pit(inside it). Take two newspaper pages, tear them in half, and roll the 4 pcs. into balls, about the size of baseballs. place them parallel to the log, two thirds of the way towards the other side of the pit. Cover them with twigs. Lean long, 1 to 2" dia. branches against the big log, over the paper and twigs. Lay intermediate sized pcs. across the slanted long ones, and more long ones over it all. Light a match. Reach in from either end, and fire.

My favorite is a log cabin fire. Take your same newspaper balls and put them in a circle and cover with dry twigs and leaves. Use small, 1/4 to 1/2 inch dia. twigs to build an inner frame. The frame resembles a log cabin. Lay two similar sizes twigs parallel, up tight to the paper. Now lay two more across the first two, one at either end. They should also frame the paper. Put another two across the second pair. This third set should be right over the first one. Repeat over and over, building a six to ten inch high log cabin-style square frame. Now get some real logs and build another log cabin, outside the first. The sky is the limit. Make sure you have water available. One match in the middle, just like a boy scout.

Answer 7

If you can bring along light-weight fire starters, that's the best way. Good ones can be made out of (of all things) dryer lint rolled into bundles with string, and dipped in melted paraffin (be SURE to melt the paraffin in a double boiler, NOT directly over the flame or burner). If you're wanting to try it without matches, then I like the method that uses a device that resembles a bow to turn the stick. Be sure you have plenty of very FINE tinder if you try this.

Answer 8

I've had good success using newspaper on the bottom (crumple each half-sheet into a loose ball-shape), small twigs and sticks on top of that, then larger sticks in a "teepee" shape. Use dead wood from already-downed trees, since that will be dry.

The newspaper is light for carrying in the backpack. The wood can be gathered when needed if you are camping in or near the woods.

Answer 9

I learned to start a fire when I was around 8 by taking newspaper or anything flamable, I suppose dry leaves if you don't have any paper. But crumple it up tightly so it burns slow enough to start the small twigs or small "kindling wood" you sort of tee-pee over your pile of paper. Light it. If the flame goes out, gently blow on it to give it oxygen to flame up again. Add smaller peices of dry wood until you get some coals, then add bigger pieces of wood. Ussually when the flame goes out, I just gently blow on it and add some smaller twigs until it's got a strong flame.

Answer 10

This all depends on what you have available to you. If you are worried about the material that you have to pack in with you, the best way would be pack a small fire building kit consisting of the following: 1. ignition source (IE. lighter, matches, flint and steel, magnifying glass) 2. tinder (IE. small dry twigs, dry shag bark hickory bark, steel wool, dryer lint)

If you have room to pack some larger dry wood, this would be good but not necessary.

Start with the steel wool, dryer lint, or dry shag bark hickory tinder and place a small amount in the center of your fire ring. Next build a TP around your tinder with the small dry twigs. use your choice of ignition source to start the tinder. slowly start adding larger branches as the fire grows.

Good luck and have fun!