Camping Basics: The Campfire

One of the most enduring symbols of camping, other than the cloth tent, is the campfire. Nothing is as essential to a good trip (or survival) as a good fire, and knowing how to build one correctly will keep you and the forest around you safe.

Getting Started

The first thing you're going to need is a shovel. An above-ground campfire may seem like the best thing to do, as the iconic symbol of a campfire is a large circle of stones and a pristine pile of wood. That's nice for photographs, but it simply isn't as safe as an in-ground campfire. You should begin by digging your fire-pit at least twelve inches deep. Depending on how windy the area you're in is, and how much over-hanging foliage there is, you may want to dig your pit a bit deeper. A quick note on over-hang: you want to make sure there is as little as possible. You should try to envision a dome of about 15 feet around your campfire: you absolutely DO NOT want any kind of flammable limbs, leaves, anything, within this fifteen feet. A stray ember could catch fire to any of this and put you in extreme danger and in an extreme amount of trouble.

Ok! So you now have your pit dug, what to do with all of that dirt? The best suggestion is to leave it in a pile close to the fire itself. If things get out of control, you can easily shovel the loose dirt onto the fire to put it out. A quick note on this too: don't just pitch dirt onto the fire - it could stir up more embers. You want to hold the shovel as close to the fire as possible then let it slide on to the fire. This does a much better job of putting it out, as opposed to stirring it up even more.

Next, I recommend that you put up some kind of barrier, such as a rock circle, around the edge of your campfire. This is for aesthetic reasons and safety. It establishes where the giant hole in the ground is! Even if you don't have a fire going yet, a hole in the ground isn't something pleasant to step in. It can also help with securing logs in case of wind.

One final precaution is this: I always, always, always, keep two gallons of water close by. Again, for safety reasons. An out-of-control fire is the absolute worst thing that could happen short of an earthquake or tornado.

The Fire Itself

So, you're digging your pit, clearing the area, and you have at least two gallons of water on hand for safety. The only thing that's next is to actually build the fire! So let's get some wood.

You want to start by trying to find a dead, fallen tree. Dead wood has less moisture, so it's a lot easier to get to burn. The downside is it burns quicker, so you have to get more. Once you find a fallen, dead tree, look for the area where the tree actually broke and fell, as in, not the top. If the tree's old enough, there should be some deeper colored wood in the heart of the tree. This is excellent fire-starter. Depending on which region your from, it goes by a lot of different names, such as kindling or fat-lighter (I have no idea why). Cut away as much of the outer wood as possible as to get a good amount. This will be essential to getting started in a timely manner. The other, less-safe alternative is dead leaves. I say less safe because once leaves are on fire, they're essentially flying hazards. If the wind blows a pile of burning leaves, even if they're in-ground, some are going to come out. When they do, that's a possible problem, which is why it is ESSENTIAL to clear the area around your fire!

Any kind of dead wood will work, but if you can find a dead cedar or oak tree, rejoice! You can recognize cedar it by the stringy bark and extremely sturdy wood. If the cedar recently fallen, it'll probably still be aromatic. Oak has a rough textured bark with groove-looking indentions in it. Being as these woods are so hard, it can be a chore to cut, but they burn slow, long and hot. Also, kindling from a cedar or oak tree is extremely nice in starting a fire.

Now, you have your kindling (or leaves), you have a good number of logs - time to set up shop! You want to start by breaking the kindling up a bit. You want it to be as long, but thin as possible. It's easier to light that way. If it's old enough, you can usually just rub it between your hands and it'll come apart. If not, just cut it into thin strips. You want to put these in the middle of your fire-pit. Don't use all of them though, just in case. After you light these, let them get a good flame going, then put on the first log. Make sure not to put it directly on top of the pile, or you might smother the fire and have to start over. Given a few minutes, maybe a few more pieces of kindling, your first log should be going - congratulations! Now just add on other logs as necessary, stoking the fire every once in a while with a long stick. If your fire starts to wane, add more kindling, stoke it, or simply blow on it. Air flow will carry more oxygen to the fire and increase the burn.

Words of Warning

I've tried to cover some various methods of safety, but this is the most important warning: do not create a fire that you cannot control. If you don't think two gallons of water and dirt can put it out, do not light it. Time-tested rote says it's better to be safe than sorry. This applies doubly so when something like a forest is on the line. Another warning is this: using accelerants like gasoline or lighter fluid may seem like a quick solution, but they can also get out of hand easily. I have seen severe burns on people, especially on the hands, when they tried to use gas to start a fire. If you do choose to use an accelerant, do not add it to the fire once it is burning! Only use it to start the fire. Pouring gas on a fire will put you in danger.

Conclusion

Well, that's about it! Just remember this: never start a fire you cannot control. I can't stress that enough. If you do that, it doesn't really matter how you go about your fire as long as you're careful - just as long as you're in control of it. Another tip is this: do not wait until the sun starts to set to gather your wood and start the fire. If it's dusk and you still haven't found a good supply of wood, you're going to go cold, hungry, or without light (perhaps all three). Depending on how much equipment you bring, this could be a very disheartening situation. So make it a priority once you get your tent up and campsite clear to get started on your fire! This will ensure that you're not stumbling around, looking for wood in the middle of a dark forest (which is no fun, trust me).

Knowing how to build a good campfire can be a great asset to any camping trip, and it allows you to get a better sense of the overall adventure involved. Bringing "long burn," store-bought logs just robs something of the pleasure in knowing that you're responsible for building an excellent fire.