Lighting a fire for a camping trip or in the fireplace at home warms the body and heart. But starting a fire is challenging, and you should know how to keep it burning so you can relax.
In some cases a fire will not burn for long because you have not prepared the area correctly, ensuring an adequate supply of oxygen, heat and fuel; if one of these components were missing, your fire would go out quickly.
If you want some tips, ideas and instructions on how to keep a fire burning, read this guide!
Steps
Step 1. Bait and sticks
These are the basics for starting a fire. Bait is the material that burns easily and will give life to fire. The sticks are more substantial and will contribute more to the development of the flames. You will need both of these elements to start a nice lasting fire.
- Materials suitable for bait: newspaper sheets, dry leaves, cotton balls, toilet paper, birch bark.
- You can use dry twigs and small pieces of thin wood as sticks.
Step 2. Use dry firewood
All the wood you will use for your fire should be completely dry. If the wood is still damp, the fire won't last long.
- You should avoid freshly cut wood, as it still contains a lot of water.
- Aged firewood is best because it has been left to dry for months or years.
Step 3. Consider whether to use hard or soft wood
- Soft wood burns quickly, but makes it easier to light the fire.
- Hardwood is harder to ignite, but it lasts a long time and produces more heat.
- A good solution is to start the fire with soft wood and switch to hard once you have developed a nice stable flame (and embers).
Step 4. Fire needs oxygen
- Make sure the fire is well ventilated, preferably from all sides. You can accomplish this by lighting the fire above a stand. Place some paper in the center of the fire, on top of the stand.
- Stack the firewood with plenty of space between the logs to provide adequate ventilation. If you don't, the fire may not catch.
- Blow on the fire. This is especially useful right after you turn it on, to get it up.
Step 5. Keep the focus
If the fire seems to go out, use a long stick or poker to move the driftwood. You should also blow, to provide more oxygen. Keep working on the fire until it is stable again, and remember that if you neglect it it will go out.
- A good sign is red and hot embers. These embers are much warmer than the original wood and will only heat up more when you bundle them with a stick.
- If all the wood has turned to embers and you want to keep the fire burning, move the charcoal and blow to make it red and then add some bait, sticks and firewood.
Advice
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Avoid burning the following items:
- Tin cans
- Plastic bottles
- Tires
- Candy card
- Treated wood
- Freshly cut wood
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You can use gels to start the fire.
These are chemical based ignition liquids. You can simply apply them to firewood and set them on fire, and they will burn intensely for a few minutes. They are very useful for starting the fire. Petroleum jelly also offers a similar effect.
Warnings
- Always be careful when dealing with a fire.
- Learn how to put out a fire, report a fire to the authorities and use a fire extinguisher.
