How to Make a Fire in a Fireplace

1. Make sure the flue is open. The flue is the metal pipe that runs inside the chimney. There's a damper inside the flue that opens and closes. (Technically, you're opening the damper, but you'll most often hear it referred to as 'opening the flue'.) When you're not using the fireplace you want the flue to be closed- that way it prevents cold air from coming down the chimney and into the room. But when you're using the fireplace, the flue needs to be open so that the smoke from the fire can go up the chimney and out of the house.

2. Warm the chimney. The cold air in the chimney is stronger than the hot air of a fire. So if you start a fire under a cold chimney the cold air in the chimney will force all the hot air of the fire back into the room. In other words, the room fills up with smoke. To avoid this, light a rolled up piece of newspaper and wave it under the mouth of the chimney.

3. Make a pile of crumpled newspapers. The base of the fire needs to be something that's highly flammable, and crumpled newspapers work well. Don't wad them up too tightly, though. Remember, fire needs oxygen. If the papers are so tight that there's no air flow, the newspapers won't light.

4. Put tinder on top of the crumpled newspapers. Tinder is easily flammable or readily combustible material. Examples of tinder are little pieces of dry bark, twigs, or pine needles. (This is really small stuff here.) When putting tinder on top of the crumpled newspapers you still want to be sure that there's room for air flow. Do Not heap it on, rather make a tepee or lattice pattern.

5. Add kindling. Kindling is larger than tinder, but not as big as a log. (So you might want to say that kindling is sticks.) Again, when you put the kindling on do so in a tepee or lattice (criss-cross) fashion to ensure air flow.

6. Light the fire. Light the fire at the bottom. Use a match or lighter to light the newspaper in several places.

7. Wait. You'll need to have a good start to the fire before you can really build it. Wait for the kindling to "take off"-in other words, wait until the kindling is burning well.

8. Add one log at a time. Once the kindling is going, add a log. (Notice: one log-not a whole bunch right now.) Gently place a log over the flames and wait for it to catch. If it seems like it's going well, place another log somewhat perpendicular (at a 90 degree angle) to the first.

9. As the fire burns, continue to add logs. Once the fire gets going, you can build it up by adding more and more logs. Just make sure that there's still enough air flow to keep the fire going strong.

Tips to making and maintaining a good fire in your fireplace:

Always use dry wood.

If you're having trouble starting the fire, try fanning it or using the bellows. (But only do this two or three times. If it doesn't take, let it burn out and rebuild it.)

As the fire is burning, you will occasionally need to use the fire poker to stir the fire. (This gets the flames going again.)

It's good to have a "bed" of embers below the fire. Wood will burn if placed directly on red embers.
Never burn plastic.

Avoid burning paper with any color other than black ink. (No wrapping paper, shiny newspaper ads, or magazine pages.)