How to Light a Fire (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 10:50

You can start a fire easily if you have the right materials and tools. Gather tinder (dry flammable material), kindling (fire trigger material), and firewood to light a fire and keep it from going out. To keep things safe, always set the fire at least 2 meters away from your tent or shelter and low hanging trees. Take the time to properly extinguish the fire when you're done using it.

Step

Part 1 of 4: Gathering the Necessary Materials

Step 1. Buy firewood that has been cut to make it safer (if possible)

The best option is to use chopped firewood if you want to start a fire at home. This wood can also be a good choice for starting a fire outside the house. Using chopped wood saves time and effort, and eliminates the uncertainty of finding your own firewood in the forest. You can buy this wood at the traditional market, or the villagers near the campsite.

If you are going to a national park or a campsite, do your research first are you allowed to bring wood from outside, or whether the management sells cut firewood. Find out too is there a ban on taking firewood in the area.

Step 2. Use factory-made pieces of firewood to get an interesting flame

This firewood is made from a mixture of sawdust and paraffin which can produce a clean and flammable fire. This wood can be ignited without having to use any ignition materials and does not leave much residue. However, this wood does not produce as much heat as ordinary firewood.

If you want to light a fire easily, but don't need the heat, you can buy this factory-made wood at a hardware store

Step 3. Find small, dry items to tinder if you want to start a fire naturally

Tinder is a dry, flammable material to help start a fire. Look for small, dry objects, such as grass, leaves, chopped tree bark, or newsprint. In an emergency, you can use tortilla chips as a tinder if you have one.

Tip:

You can buy factory-made tinder at the store, or make your own first.

Step 4. Find a medium-sized dry object for kindling

Kindling is a flammable object when it comes into contact with tinder, but is difficult to burn if you light it yourself. Look for small sticks, twigs, or pieces of bark. Make sure all the ingredients are completely dry.

Cut large pieces of wood using a knife or ax to make kindling

Step 5. Collect various kinds of firewood

Firewood is wood that will burn for a long time which can keep the fire burning. Look for dry, brittle pieces of wood of varying sizes to maintain the flame as needed. Different types of wood will light in different ways. So, keep in mind that:

Hardwoods, such as teak and rosewood, take a long time to ignite, but burn longer.
Softwoods, such as pine and spruce, are easy to ignite and will crack and explode when burned because they contain resin.

Part 2 of 4: Creating a Fire Structure

Step 1. Make a fire on a dry and clean surface

Look for a place that is at least 2 meters away from trees, shrubs, and low branches. Clean the area of dry leaves and twigs, or other flammable objects that make the fire easy to spread. Choose a location on dry soil, or build a pile of rocks.

Make a circle of large stones with a diameter of about 1 or 1.5 meters as a place to make a fire.
Never start a fire less than 2 meters from a tent or shelter when you sleep outdoors.

Step 2. Make the fire structures crosswise to make things easier

Place the tinder material in the center of the fireplace. After that, place the kindling on it crosswise. Repeat this pattern when you place the firewood.

Tip:

Don't forget to leave gaps between the fire-making materials as you stack them. This aims to provide air flow so that oxygen can make the fire burn.

Step 3. Create a fire structure like a conical tent for easy ignition

Shape the tinder material into a circle with a diameter of about 10 centimeters. Stack the kindling pieces in a cone shape around the tinder, leaving a hole on one side. Place the pieces of firewood by stacking them on top of each other so that they form a frame around the tinder and kindling. Leave a gap in the same place you did the kindling.

Notes:

This is an alternative to the method of placing wood crosswise. Do not combine these two methods!

Step 4. Build a fire structure in the form of a "wooden cabin" that can be easily made

Place the tinder material in the center of the fire pit, then make a "cone tent" with another tinder around the first tinder material. Place two pieces of firewood on either side of the "cone tent," then place two more pieces of firewood on top of it perpendicularly.

Repeat this pattern 2-3 times to create a "wooden cabin".
Again, this is an alternative way to cross-fire structures or "cone tents".

Part 3 of 4: Lighting a Fire

Step 1. Use a lighter (either gas or wood) if you have one

The easiest way to start a fire is to use a simple lighter like a match. Carefully light a match and point it at the tinder material to light it.

Gently blow on the smoldering tinder to help start the fire.
For best results, burn the tinder from several sides to make it easier for the fire to spread.

Step 2. Make a fire with chert (flint) and steel that can be used in any weather

Chert and steel are excellent, weather-resistant and long-lasting lighter alternatives. Hold the chert and steel near the tinder pile in the middle of the fuel structure. Hit the steel against the chert a few times to spark the flames into the tinder until it ignites.

You can buy chert and steel at a hardware store, nature supply store, sports store, or the internet

Step 3. Make a fire plow to start a fire in an emergency

Make a ditch-like groove in a flat piece of softwood using a knife or other sharp object. Take a stick or small stick and rub it in the center of the wood groove to create friction and heat. A few minutes later, the heat will increase and burn the wood particles (which is due to the rubbing motion).

Other sharp objects that can be used in place of a knife include pens, metal skewers, and nails

Part 4 of 4: Putting Out Fires Safely

Step 1. Start putting out the fire about 20 minutes in advance

It will take you some time to completely extinguish the fire. Leaving a fire that has not been completely extinguished is a dangerous act. Plan when you want to put out the fire so that you have sufficient time to do so.

Tip:

If you have to leave the location of the fire at a certain time, set a cell phone alarm within 20 minutes before you leave.

Step 2. Splash water on the fire

Sprinkle a bucket of water on the fire and spread the water all over the coals. Do this gently and gradually. To spread the water evenly and slowly over the fire, you can use a water bottle, a large water bottle, or another container.

Do not pour large amounts of water directly on the fire. This can damage the structure of the fire if you want to use it again in the near future.

Step 3. Stir the coals with a shovel or stick while sprinkling the water

Make sure all the coals are wet by turning them over while sprinkling water. Use a metal shovel or stick to stir the coals. Keep doing this until the fire is completely out.

Step 4. Make sure that no more steam, heat, or hissing noise appears in the location where you started the fire

Place your hand near the center of the fire to make sure it is completely cold. If no heat emerges from the ground, it means that the coals are completely extinguished. Also check for signs of steam and hissing sound, which are signs that there are still unextinguished embers.

If any of the above are no longer present, you can safely leave the firehouse.
If there are still signs of burning coals, repeat the steps above to extinguish them. If you don't want to use it again later, just splash a lot of water on it.

Expert Advice

Keep these tips in mind as you make your campfire

Gather enough kindling to keep the fire burning.

In order to keep the fire burning for 24 hours, you will need to collect kindling the size of a car. And to be even more secure, double the number.
Use a variety of dry ingredients if you don't have enough sticks.

If you're worried about running out of kindling, use things like leaves, pine leaves, and dry bark to keep the fire burning until you can gather more sticks.
Light fires strategically.

In order to maintain the size and safety of the fire, use small sticks when the fire is still small. After that, add more wood as the fire gets bigger.