How to Build The Perfect Campfire

An outdoor trip especially a camping one without a campfire is sleep without rest. You can’t go into the night without lighting up a bonfire. Although there is a lot of hullabaloo surrounding lighting up a campfire, building the perfect campfire is a combination of art and science.

 
This time we bring to you the A-Z of a campfire, right from gathering material to dousing the embers.
 

1. Amass what all is required- There are lot many things before you set a bonfire. The campfire basics include fuel, rags or cotton balls, tinder, fire starter. You need to make sure there is enough tinder to light up the campfire, the tinder may include twigs, dried leaves, and needles. Make sure they are not moist as a moist tinder doesn’t catch fire easily.

 

2. Get the firestarter- A firestarter should be the most effective resource you carry for a campfire. Matches might sound like the best fire starters but they might not turn out to be the best. In the outdoor, there could be water or wind which would deter all your efforts of striking a light. Instead of carrying an effective fire starter or a flint is a better choice.

 

3. Clear the campfire site- Spotting a pit or making one for your campfire requires clearing it. There may be a lot of debris that could hamper the fire and even sometimes help it spread easily. To ensure you do not face either of the situations clear the pit of everything. Select a spot which away from bush and trees to deter any chances of catching and spreading a fire.

 

4. Fence it- Fencing a campfire does not only help it from putting off but also gives it a barrier which keeps out people especially small kids. The best way to fence the campfire is to put boulders around it.

 

5. Fire it up- After you fence the site, you need to fire it up. Spray a little fuel on the pile of dried leaves, needles and twigs. Tie a rag or fasten cotton balls around a poke (a wooden stick) and soak it in gasoline or any other fuel you are carrying along. Light the end of the stick which that was soaked in fuel and fire the heap of tinder. You can slowly add sliced wooden logs to the fire which would fuel it further. Once the flames are down you would get hot embers which are best to roast the marshmallow or cook anything else. Keep adding wooden logs for as long as you want the campfire to be burning.

 

6. Douse it- Once you are done with the campfire it is very important to extinguish it especially if you are in an inhabited area. Spread out the embers so that they die, the next thing you need to do is pour a bucket of water to put off the fire completely. Hover your hand over the doused campfire to check if there is any heat left. A good way to be assured the fire is completely out is, waiting till the doused fire stops giving out steam.

 
We hope you would build a great campfire next time you tent out on an adventurous camping trip.