Fire Starting Tips

USE DRY WOOD
The most important thing is to use dry hardwood or firewood. Weighing up to 2 ½ times the amount of properly dried firewood, wet or damp wood (called “green wood”) will not burn well, simply because wood must reach a temperature of 450 degrees in order to burn. Since water boils at 212 degrees, it turns to steam and cools down the “green wood” before it can reach the proper burning temperature. Plus, “green wood” creates unpleasant amounts of smoke and vapor. On the other hand, properly seasoned dry hardwood will ignite more quickly, stay hot longer, and burn more cleanly.

THE BOY-SCOUT METHOD
The most well-known method to starting a fire is the fire-building approach used by the Boy Scouts, utilizing layers of combustible materials. First, at the base, crumple several sheets of newspaper. Pile on top of the newspaper dry twigs or kindling (no larger than ¼” diameter). As you continue building upward, use split pieces of wood, continually increasing the size of the pieces and stacking them in a crisscross manner. Using a match, light the newspaper at the bottom. The newspaper will light the smallest pieces of kindling which will ultimately light the larger pieces on top. When you have a nice bed of hot coals, add full un-split pieces of dry hardwood. As long as you have a bed of hot coals, you can simply rebuild the fire by adding whole pieces of wood. 

NATURAL FIRE-STARTERS
Aside from paper and small kindling, there are other natural fire-starting aids on the market. 

1) A natural byproduct of logging, “fatwood” is a natural accelerant harvested from the stump of a pine tree several years after the tree was cut. An 8” long piece (at 1/2” diameter) easily lights with a match and will burn with a hot fire for approximately 20 minutes. A few pieces of fatwood can ignite a pile of firewood very effectively.
2) Similar to artificial fire logs, “compressed sawdust starters” are made of highly flammable sawdust molded with a flammable binder. These also light easily and will provide enough heat to create a fire.

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS
Starting a fire is not as easy as it seems. It takes practice. If you’re having a difficult time starting a fire, keep trying by using small pieces of dry wood. Start with the easiest materials to light, and continue to build by adding bigger pieces. Once you can get a few coals developed, you’re well on your way to developing a solid blaze.

Fire Starting Aids
There are several types of fire starting aids available. Most are made from a mix of wax and either cellulose or saw dust. These are as easy as lighting a candle and will burn form 5-25 minutes. They will provide more heat and time to get a your kindling burning. Click here to learn more. (Link this to SR-100)

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