Building a campfire takes a bit of skill, but it can be fun to learn how to do it. The first thing you need to do, however, is make sure that you're being safe. You shouldn't' have to use lighter fluid or gasoline to light a campfire and, in fact, doing so can be very dangerous. If you want to do this right, make sure you follow some sensible guidelines.
Paper or a fire starter is the best way to start the initial flame. You can use a butane or Zippo lighter, or matches, to set off the paper. A torch lighter will usually work better for this than a regular Zippo because you can direct the flame a bit more. These lighters also work better in damp and even in wet conditions.
You'll want to make a pile of kindling with your paper at the bottom. Be sure that there's plenty of room for airflow. In the beginning stages of the fire, you're trying to generate a bed of hot coals that you can add to. The kindling will keep reducing down to embers and, as you add to it, you can keep building up this supply of embers and getting a hotter bed going. Don't add large pieces of wood before the fire can handle them, however, as it may end up putting your fire out altogether.
When you build a fire, you have to make sure you have some way of putting it out close by. A bucket of sand is the best thing for this. Water is second best and it can take a surprising about of water to put out a fire that's going hot. Make sure you always start the fire in a pit. If there isn't a pit or a ring available, dig one. This is not only safer but also promotes better coal beds.
Once the fire is going, you can control the size of it by adding fuel at a controlled rate. Don't add so much that you put it out but, by adding a lot, you can encourage the fire to grow. Fire does like to move upward, so stacking logs on top of one another with space between them for airflow will encourage the fire to grow, as well. Throwing a single log on a fire, unless it is very hot, will usually put it out. Remember to stir the embers now and then to keep them hot!
Paper or a fire starter is the best way to start the initial flame. You can use a butane or Zippo lighter, or matches, to set off the paper. A torch lighter will usually work better for this than a regular Zippo because you can direct the flame a bit more. These lighters also work better in damp and even in wet conditions.
You'll want to make a pile of kindling with your paper at the bottom. Be sure that there's plenty of room for airflow. In the beginning stages of the fire, you're trying to generate a bed of hot coals that you can add to. The kindling will keep reducing down to embers and, as you add to it, you can keep building up this supply of embers and getting a hotter bed going. Don't add large pieces of wood before the fire can handle them, however, as it may end up putting your fire out altogether.
When you build a fire, you have to make sure you have some way of putting it out close by. A bucket of sand is the best thing for this. Water is second best and it can take a surprising about of water to put out a fire that's going hot. Make sure you always start the fire in a pit. If there isn't a pit or a ring available, dig one. This is not only safer but also promotes better coal beds.
Once the fire is going, you can control the size of it by adding fuel at a controlled rate. Don't add so much that you put it out but, by adding a lot, you can encourage the fire to grow. Fire does like to move upward, so stacking logs on top of one another with space between them for airflow will encourage the fire to grow, as well. Throwing a single log on a fire, unless it is very hot, will usually put it out. Remember to stir the embers now and then to keep them hot!
About the Author:
Wendy is a consultant for a specialty torch lighters store and has expert knowledge of butane accessories, including windproof lighters.