Comments on: How To Build a Roaring Campfire

By: wayne

wayne — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 02:26:16 +0000

had to leave a comment for Gary Niger… If you a gallon of gas to start a fire, you are not manly enough, also its a good way to get burnt. Camping in the back country, I don’t have gas, if I do, it’s probably for the little 2 hp Johnson that’s on the back of the canoe, I would rather save the gas so I can explore and fish the lake.

Everyone else has great tips here, I especially like the egg carton with wood shavings and wax idea. I used to go to mickey d’s and take some of those white mini cups for ketchup and fill that with lint and melted wax.

By: gaffer

gaffer — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 02:07:49 +0000

I have always like the pile fire method. In scouts we all learned the standard tipi, log cabin, and lean-to style but one of the leaders would just pile up a big pile of loose kindling, put a little tinder under it and get it going fast with one match. It is much easier and faster than any of the other methods (of course it doesn’t look as pretty but if you are hungry or cold who cares what it looks like other that it being bright and roaring flames). The main tip with it is to not break up the kindling into small pieces, you want to leave plenty of air space, and as it starts to get going you then start to slowly add your fuel wood.

The other tip is to not waste your time cutting up wood when you can just put one end in the fire and push it in as it burns down to coals. Of course it might not be as sexy as the perfect tipi fire but what is going to be sexier to a cold lady a) a perfect visually composed fire or b) a man who knows how to get a nice fire and is competent with is outdoors skills? ;)

And really guys, leave the girl scout juice for those not competent in fire making skills and as your bottom of the bag emergency situation solution to fire starting. It is not difficult to start a fire without highly flammable liquids, if you rely on them to get a basic fire going you will be in a bad place if you ever really need to start a fire in a bad situation.

By: Jason Wendleton

Jason Wendleton — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 23:07:57 +0000

Thanks, I used this article for a short story I’m writing. Much obliged.

By: pat

pat — Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:56:56 +0000

Pack a cheap bottle of aftershave and body spray… Soak ya tinder in aftershave and get a spark to it, then spread it with the spray. An added bonus you and the camp will smell good… Depending on how cheap they are of course… Maybe not very manly, but gets a fire going quick… Might even attract a mate for you real wild m*********rs out there…

By: Gongo

Gongo — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:35:22 +0000

When we go camping a couple of days before I go to the coin op laundymat. Ask on of the workers there if you could get some lint. I take a couple of gallon sizr zip-lock bags and fill them for free. Usualy they will be happy to get rid of it. Works great as tinder.
For kindling go to a store like salwmart and ask for “dead” (non painted or broken) pallets remover the planks and split them with a hatchet. The 2x4s work as good starting fule logs. They are non treated and usually very dry burn hot and fast.
I make a teepee by cuttin a poin on one of the 2x4s and driving it into the middle of my pit, placing the lint around it then start with slivers of the planks around it then get bigger and bigger sticks and end with acual spli wood that I had cut last year, post isaac debris is almost dry now. get good hot fire in no time and the other campers around us are impressed on a quick hot fire.

Another thing to use as kindling and tender or dry pine needles. They burn quick but great even if damp.

By: Gary Niger

Gary Niger — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:47:15 +0000

You’ve left out the most important thing! You must always have a gallon of gasoline to start a fire. You then do not need tinder or kindling. What you do is find some logs. Big ones are ALSO fine. Then you pour the gasoline SLOWLY over those logs so they absorb all of it. Then you pour a thin trail of gasoline from the logs to where you are standing. And then you flick your ciggy butt-end (assuming you’re man enough to smoke) into the gasoline. Viola! Instant fire. Good luck and God bless!

By: Keith

Keith — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 15:08:33 +0000

If in North Texas:
The only poisionous wood to watch for is Poision Ivey/ Oak. So no wood with vines on it.
The best starter/ kindling is ‘squaw wood’ (dead limbs with lots of brown needles still attached) from cedar (mountain juniper). Even when damp this stuff will rapidly flame up due to all the aromatic oil it contains.

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 01:31:59 +0000

If your fire is too smokey you have a few possible problems.

1) Wet wood. This has been stated before but it is the main cause. Wet wood also doesn’t burn as hot. If you are able, leave the wood to dry out for as long as possible.

2) Your fire is not hot enough. You can have a big fire that is not as hot as a small fire. Basically, the wood is burning at a lower combustion rate meaning less of the solid matter is converted to gasses before being sent up in the air by the updraft. Keep the fire contained in a smaller area (especially smaller vertical area) and tend it to be sure there is a good heat base on the bottom and it is really hot. This takes a lot more work, but in the end you have a much more effective fire. It will be warmer AND you can sit closer because you don’t have loose flames jumping around pushing you back.

Most likely, it is both of these. You can have a fire with wet wood, but if you get it hot enough the smoke will be minimized and it will not need too much moving around. A good dry wood fire still has some smoke, so try to enjoy it. There are few things in this world that smell better than a good campfire.

By: Brett

Brett — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 17:56:48 +0000

I should add that an always essential principle for effective firebuilding is adequate and concentrated stacking of tinder and kindling. As long as your fire is compact yet with enough ‘breathing room’ for the young flame, you will produce a warm, radiant, and long-lasting fire. You can also even start a fire with wet wood if you stack your kindling and tinder tightly.

All the best -

By: cbosarge

cbosarge — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 02:24:16 +0000

A really good firestarter found in the wild is pine sap, you can find it running down evergreen trees where branches have broken off. Also, if you happen to have some hand sanitizer on you, it works REAL good!!