Making a fire is essential to wild camping. Without a fire, you can't cook your meals, keep warm or see in the dimming light. As a minimum, you'll need flint and steel in your DIY campfire equipment, but there are more options at your fingertips.
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As a minimum, you need something to burn and something that ignites a flame. Your fire starter kit could be as simple as a handful of leaves and a cigarette lighter.
A DIY campfire needs to be safe as well as strong. Before you light a flame, you need to create a safety ring.
This ring of stone or dirt will protect the surrounding area. Without this safety measure, you could risk starting a forest fire.
Around the area of your campfire, you should place stones and remove flammable objects. Ideally, the stone ring should be as wide as your flame is tall. This way, any flickering embers cannot reach outside of the ring.
If that seems too complex or worrying, there is another option.
Naturehike has created a camping stainless steel folding fire rack. This rack lets you lift the fire off the ground, so you don't need to prepare an area. Even better, the lifted fire means you can stand as you cook.
To create a strong fire, you must gather the right wood. These can be easily separated into tinder, kindling and firewood.
Here at Wood To Water, we have firelighters and tinder that’ll make it super quick and easy to get your fire lit.
If you're feeling lost, don't worry. Here at Wood To Water, we want to ensure everyone feels comfortable on their camping adventures, no matter where they are on their journey.
This is why we sell DIY Campfire equipment guides.
Created by Live and Learn, these guides are little cards you can clip to your backpack. When you find a place to settle for the evening, you can flick through the cards to remind yourself of the next step.
Shop all the essential fire making equipment right here at Wood To Water!
Yes, you can still make a fire in windy conditions; however, it will be more difficult. You'll need to protect your tinder and kindling fires from the wind while using large firewood (or fatwood sticks) to keep the fire going.
Make sure you have a lot of firewood to go through, as the wind will speed up the burning process.
The easiest way to make a fire is to burn cotton or other dry tinder in a steel pot. Use a match, torch or flint and steel. While it's burning, slowly add sticks to the fire. Keep adding sticks until the fire is big enough to burn logs.
Fire needs three elements to survive; fuel, oxygen and heat. If you remove one, then the triangle is broken, and the fire will die. Knowing this can keep your fire burning for longer.
You shouldn't use fuel that will overpower your fire. Fuel like gasoline and alcohol will force too much energy into your fire, creating a dangerous and uncontrollable flame. Keep your fire safe and only use slow-releasing fuels like wood.
The hardest way to start a fire is through friction. This method will make your arms sore and can take a long time to get right. You need a dry stick and a dry tinder around the edges for it to work. Spin the twig fast enough, and the heat creates a flame.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
