No matter where you’re going camping, there are certain things you can always count on being present (except cell phone service): bugs, sleeping bags and campfires. While the majority of your time will be spent exploring and relaxing in the great outdoors, it’s also important to make sure you have fun around the campfire at night — or at least know how to start one if you don’t bring one along with you!
Choose the right location
Find an area with enough space for your campfire, and away from trees, bushes and dry leaves. Clear an area so the ground is flat and free of debris that could catch fire. Make sure there are no overhanging branches nearby that could fall on you or your campfire. Consider how windy it is- if it’s very windy make sure the site faces into the wind. If not, build the campfire against the prevailing winds.
Prepare the area
Place a large log on the ground with one end extending over the fire pit. This will be your teepee and it should extend at least one foot over the edge of the pit, but no more than three feet. Next, place smaller logs in an even layer over your teepee so that they create a solid foundation for the rest of your fire. Leave enough space between these logs so that there is room for air to flow inside and feed your fire as it burns. Finally, place one or two small logs across these as fillers and then cover them with kindling like dry leaves or paper until you have created an even platform for your tinder bundle.
Collect the wood
Collecting wood can be one of the most difficult parts of building a campfire. You want dry, relatively small pieces that are easy to break into smaller pieces, but you also want pieces that will burn for as long as possible. Once you have your pile of wood gathered, lay it out near where you plan on building the fire and start stacking it according to size from smallest to largest. This will help you figure out how much wood you’ll need for your fire before you begin cutting any logs.
Build the fire
Building a campfire can be the perfect way to spend time with family and friends during camping trips. It’s also one of the most important aspects of outdoor survival. It’s important that you know how to build a fire, because it’s not as simple as throwing logs on top of each other and lighting them up with your lighter or matches. You need to have some type of tinder and kindling ready before you even think about laying any logs down.
To do this, find some dry branches and leaves on the ground in order to create something called tinder. Tinder is anything light enough for an ember (from your kindling) to catch onto and turn into flames that will eventually grow into bigger flames (aka larger pieces of wood). Kindling are small pieces of wood that are still pretty lightweight but thicker than tinder. They should go at the bottom of your pile so they’ll get caught by any embers flying out from the tinder pile and start turning into flames themselves-this will then allow for larger pieces of wood such as logs or branches to catch onto those flames as well
Maintain the fire
Maintaining the fire is one of the most crucial aspects of campfire building. There are many ways to maintain the fire. One way is with logs and branches – this will not only sustain but also regulate the heat so it doesn’t get too hot or cold. Another way is by adding more wood or placing stones around the fire – this will help control how quickly it burns, which can be helpful if you’re cooking something on top of it and don’t want it burned before you’re finished.
You’ll want to place the logs in such a way that air can still flow between them – this helps them burn evenly. Keep an eye on the level of oxygen being supplied as well; if there’s too much air, your fire may go out. You should always have an exit plan in case your campsite gets overrun with smoke and noxious fumes from burning garbage that were left unattended for too long (or at all). Sometimes fires need maintenance just like people do!
Final words
The campfire is one of man’s most iconic inventions. With the right tools, materials, and know-how, you can construct an effective campfire that will keep you warm and safe at night. Remember to never leave your fire unattended and to extinguish it completely before going to bed or leaving the campsite.
