Lighting a fire naturally and then keeping it burning is not an easy task. Even in perfect conditions, building a quality blaze takes practice, experience, and some general know-how.
On your own, getting it right may require trial and error.
But, fortunately for you, we’ve created an easy-to-follow guide that you can use immediately. Equipped with this primer, you’ll be ready to light a hearty bonfire, whether you’re on a camping trip with your family or simply want to enjoy your backyard firepit.
Check out these tips to start a fire quickly and keep it burning for hours.
Gather Your Supplies… Proactively
Making a fire is like baking a cake—you need the right ingredients and to follow the recipe in order. Fortunately, your fire-making supplies list is relatively simple.
You’ll only need to gather the following items:
1. A firestarter – It’s important to choose the right firestarter, especially if you’re camping remotely in inclement weather. The best fire starters are easy to use and reliable. Whether you want a traditional or modern option, the best available choices include:
- Traditional matches
- Lighters
- Flint and steel sparkers
- Electric sparkers
2. Tinder – Tinder is composed of smaller debris like pine needles, tree bark, and newspaper that will help ignite the kindling.
3. Kindling – Kindling is slightly larger than tinder, and is also dry and easy to ignite. This can include small sticks, twigs, and other dry wood pieces.
4. Wood logs – Split, seasoned, and dry wood is best for stoking a roaring fire. Chop up both small and larger logs for a healthy burn.
The best way to simplify your process when it comes time to tend the fire is to have these materials on hand and easily accessible already. We recommend buying in bulk if possible.
Build the Fire—and Practice Patience!
A good fire starts small and then grows as you feed it. To ignite your firepit, follow these steps:
- Arrange a pile of tinder in the center of your firepit – This small pile will be the heart of your fire, the spark that lights a bonfire.
- Add kindling to the tinder pile in a criss-crossing pattern – You want to make sure that there is plenty of room for air to flow freely, since oxidation—the reaction between burning fuel and the oxygen in the air—releases heat and generates combustion.
- Start adding smaller pieces of firewood – Arrange the logs surrounding the kindling in either a teepee or log cabin pattern. Be sure to only select logs that are dry and leave space between the logs for airflow.
- Light up the fire – Once your firewood is prepared, you can use your igniter to light the tinder. Gently blow on the flames to help them spread to the kindling and thinner logs.
- Add larger logs – As the fire begins to burn, start adding larger logs to the external firewood framework until you have a large blaze. These logs take longer to catch fire and can smother the smaller pieces, which is why you wait until the fire is already going. By gradually adding larger logs as the fire grows, you can create a fire that burns longer, stronger, and more evenly.
- Tend the fire – Depending on the size of your initial setup, your fire may be able to burn on its own for an hour or more. However, the existing fuel will eventually burn up, and the fire will die if you don’t regularly tend it. To that end, you should rearrange the logs as needed for improved airflow and throw on new logs at frequent intervals.
- It’s important to give as much care to the later steps as you do the early ones; building and tending a good fire requires patience.
Light Your Fire with Kurtz Bros.,
Erecting an easy-to-light, slow-burning fire is all about choosing the right materials, building a well-ventilated structure, and following the proper order. All you need is a firestarter, kindling, tinder, and seasoned firewood—along with a touch of care to get your firepit started quickly and keep it burning all night long.
