How to Start a Campfire
- Where permitted, gather firewood. You want to collect everything from dry leaves and twigs, to small sticks, to branches up to 2-4 inches in diameter.
- If a fire ring is not already available, clear an area that's away from any trees or brush.
- Place a small pile of dry leaves and twigs in the center of the fire ring.
- Build a tepee of small sticks around these dry leaves and twigs.
- Next, build a square wall of larger sticks around, and up to the height of, the tepee.
- Place more sticks across the walls so as to cover the tepee.
- Add another wall of larger branches, but do not cover the top.
- Drop a match or two into the dry leaves and twigs until they catch fire.
- As the fire begins to spread, add some larger branches across the top, being careful not to collapse the existing walls of the fire.
- Continue to add larger branches and pieces of wood to keep the campfire going.
Tips:
- Don't build a bonfire; campfires do not have to be large to be enjoyable.
- Do not use flammables such as charcoal lighter, gas, or kerosene to start a fire.
- Do not burn "green" wood, it has too much sap, and will burn slowly and pop. Also, do not cut any wood from standing trees.