Building a campfire

Are you familiar with the process of building a fire at the campsite and also with being safe while building and having the fire? I have a few suggestions you might want to remember on that next camping trip.

I have seen a lot of nearby campers trying to build a fire after a rain and just not ever getting one started. Of course I wander over and ask if I might be of help and they are amazed when I start the fire very easily. Of course, it is easier naturally to start a fire on a day without wind or rain.

First of all you'll need to walk around the area and pick out the dead, very thin branches around evergreen trees. These are usually the driest of all branches, snap one and if it has a nice crisp snap it is ready for the campfire. Just gather a handful at a time as you won't need anymore. If you can't find any of these branches then obtain a log with a dry center and slice long thin slivers of wood from the center after slicing with your hand axe and folding saw.

To start a fire I first will put two one inch in size sticks across each other about seven inches apart, then I place a few very thin pieces of kindling over them at angles and space them about one to two inches apart. I will then place long, thin, small dry twigs called tinder on top of this kindling. Be sure to give enough air space as the fire needs to be able to breathe to burn efficiently. Now I put two sticks about two inches wide over the ends of the thin sticks at angles, these sticks will support the heavier wood.

I try to follow up the above with some larger pieces of wood as these won't allow the fire to blow away, now I just take out one match and light and I have a warm fire. I strike the match and apply it directly below the tinder as a flame will go upward, not to the side. This promotes a chimney-like draft and the fire will build very quickly. Be sure this tinder doesn't touch the ground as it might be cold or damp, even wet.

If you are out in a woods with lots of pine be sure to look for a balsam fir tree as the sap will light very quickly. I would also carry along a butane lighter to save matches. I would suggest bringing along a candle and also some sort of chemical fire starter just in case these items are necessary.

Let's discuss extinguishing the blaze as you really need to tend to this carefully as many forest fires are unintentionally started by careless camp fires left unattended. When the smoke is gone, then pour water over the fire area, touch those logs or twigs and make sure they are not warm. Always remember it only takes a small spark to start a large fire.