Lighting a campfire or fireplace is a convenient way to warm your home or camping area. When the fire starts to shrink, you can make the fire bigger and keep burning by adding a new kindling or stick.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Keeping the Fire Burning Outdoors
Step 1. Prepare the tinder and a fire rod
Small wood, kawul, or paper are good triggers for fire and tinder. Powder is a material that is flammable when exposed to sparks, whether small or large. Therefore, tinder is very appropriate to use when starting a fire. The fire trigger is used to keep the fire burning. You need these two materials to create a long lasting fire.
- Good tinder material: Newspaper, cotton wool, and tissue can all work well. You can also use natural tinder such as dried leaves, tree bark, and miang tree midrib.
- Good fishing materials: dry twigs, small and thin pieces of wood, and tree trunks. Dried leaves can also be used as a trigger for fire.
- Keeping the fire burning is a cycle. Prepare the tinder, add the fire rod, then add the wood. To keep the fire from going out, you need to repeat this process.
Step 2. Use dry firewood
The wood used to start the fire must be dry. If the wood is still wet, the fire will be difficult to start. Instead of producing a fire, wet wood will emit annoying fumes when burned. If you don't have dry wood near you, add more flame retardant and tinder to remove moisture from the wood used.
- Do not use wood from freshly felled trees. This wood generally contains a lot of water and cannot create a long-lasting fire.
- Dried firewood is the best choice. This wood is dried for several months, or even years. If the firewood is properly dried, the wood will burn more easily and can keep the fire burning properly.
- When in camp or forest, look for tree trunks. Or find an old tree that can be cut down. Oak and betula are hardwood producers that are found in many areas. The wood from these two trees can produce a large and long-lasting fire.
Step 3. Start the fire with softwood, keep the fire with hardwood
Know the uses of softwoods and hardwoods. Softwood is better for starting a fire. Hardwood can help keep the fire burning.
- Softwoods such as pine and spruce burn easily, but wear out faster. If you want to keep a small fire burning, add softwood to make the fire bigger.
- Hardwood is more difficult to work with when starting a fire. However, firewood is more durable and can produce a bigger fire.
- One way to keep the fire burning is to use softwood to start the fire, then replace it with hardwood when the fire starts to grow and stabilize.
Step 4. Provide oxygen to make the fire burn and expand
Make sure the fire is well ventilated and gets air from all sides. To provide ventilation, you can light a bonfire on the grill. Before adding the wood, place the newspaper in the middle of the fire, on the grill.
- Pile firewood with a wide enough distance. This is done so that the campfire has good ventilation.
- Add the tinder and the fire-trigger into the gaps between the firewood.
- Blow fire. This is especially important when the fire is just starting. By blowing it, the fire will expand.
- If you want to rekindle a fire that has been extinguished, collect and pile up the embers that are still burning. Use the coals as a base, then add tinder and a trigger on top. After that, when the fire starts, add new firewood. Use softwood whenever possible.
Method 2 of 3: Keeping the Fire Burning When it Rains
Step 1. Start small
When it's raining or the rain has just let up and you don't have dry firewood, a fire can still be started. You need patience and extra effort to keep the fire burning when it rains.
- Focus on starting a small fire in one of the bonfire areas. The larger the area and the wet material, the more difficult it will be for you to create a long-lasting fire.
- Add more tinder and a fire trigger. Do not immediately burn large logs. Start a fire by burning paper and tree branches.
- Benara trees have bark that burns easily even when it rains. True skin contains natural oils that can ward off water.
- If possible, place a tarp or roof over the fire. This is done so that the fire is not exposed to rainwater. Make sure the tarp or roof is high enough to avoid getting burned or exposed to sparks.
Step 2. Wrap the wood in a towel before burning
Use towels or dry clothes to wrap the wood and fuel for the bonfire. Use a towel to absorb as much moisture and water as possible on the wood.
- If it is going to rain, prepare a small can and fill it with dry twigs and pine cones and leaves. Cans of infant formula are a good choice for storing fire anglers. The cans can also keep the fire starter dry.
- When starting a fire in the open, always have extra logs wrapped in cloth in case it rains.
Step 3. Use small sticks, twigs, and fire hooks that are around you
Bunches of small logs and fire sticks can be burned more easily than large logs. Plus, you can burn any object to light or keep the fire burning.
- Waterproof matches or lighters are very useful tools when starting a fire.
- Foods that contain lots of carbohydrates can also be used as fire fuel. Chocolate or chewy sweets are not good campfire fuel.
- If you have an ax or tool that can cut logs, use it. Split the center of the log until the dry part is visible. Stand up the log and make sure the dry bark is pointing toward the fire.
Method 3 of 3: Keeping the Fire Burning Indoors
Step 1. Remove excess ashes in the fireplace before starting the fire
Ash mat 2-5 cm thick should always be treated. This ash mat can help protect the fireplace floor. In addition, ash can also help catch coals and disperse heat.
- Too much ash in the fireplace can prevent the firewood from burning quickly and efficiently.
- Too much ash can also be harmful to health.
Step 2. Poke the bonfire regularly
When the fire starts to go out, use a long iron rod or a fire stick to poke and move the firewood in the fireplace. You'll also need to blow out the fireplace so that the fire gets oxygen. Keep doing this process until the fire starts to stabilize. If the fire is left, the fire will be extinguished.
- Use an iron stick or a fire stick to pile the charcoal in the grate. Charcoal burning at very high temperatures can burn tinder, trigger fire, and soft wood. The charcoal will continue to heat up when stacked with an iron rod. Charcoal will also generate heat for quite a long time.
- When the wood turns into charcoal, blow and poke the charcoal until it glows red. After that, add more tinder, fire brisket, and firewood.
Step 3. Add manure regularly
When lighting a fireplace at home, some firewood may not burn properly. To make the fire last longer, keep adding tinder before adding the firewood to make more fire. This can help burn firewood perfectly.
- If there is a grill in the grate, place a fire rod and tinder under the grill. This is done so that the fire burns under the firewood.
- If there is no space under the firewood, use an iron rod to add tinder to the gaps in the firewood pile.
Step 4. Add the hardwood
Place the hardwood log into the hearth so that there is still room for the fire to breathe. You certainly don't want to shut down a fire that's burning in the fireplace.
- Large hardwood sticks can keep the fire burning well. If the fire is hot enough, it doesn't take long for the hardwood sticks to start burning.
- When the fire starts to go out, add softwood to the fireplace to make the fire bigger.
Tips
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Never burn:
- Can
- Plastic bottles
- Tire
- Candy wrap
- Pressure-dried wood
- Newly felled tree.
- You can also use lighter gel. It is a fuel that is in the form of a gel and is made of chemicals. To use it, you just need to apply the gel on the firewood and then turn it on. The resulting fire is quite intense and can burn for several minutes. This is a good way to start a fire. Vaseline can also be used as an alternative.
Warning
- Before starting a fire in the room, make sure the fireplace smoke pipe is open.
- Be careful when starting a fire.
- Always keep an eye on the burning fire
- Know how to put out a fire, report a fire, and use a fire extinguisher.
