Starting a fire for newbs

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...


I've burned wet wood in my fireplace a few times, when no other wood was available. I don't know what kind of wood it was, but it was extremely hard to get a fire going with it. The wood was also stored outside and under cover, but it was still wet.

After carefully nurturing the kindling, I could get it to burn, but barely. It would be barely aflame on one end, and drops of moisture would actually be dripping out of the other end...!!

[ejdixon]

Originally Posted by wvbreamfisherman

The biggest problem getting a fire going IMHO is trying to use bigger fuel too soon.

I agree. It was something that I've learned the hard way. You really have to "feed" the fire a little bit at a time. Otherwise, it's just gonna smother out.

[ChadTower]

You can burn nearly anything once you get your bed of coals going. When I teach people I think that might be the hardest thing to get them to grasp. You're not so much building a fire as you are building a bed of coals. Yes, you use the first small fire to create those coals, but the sooner you can get to a bed of coals the sooner you can turn your back on the fire or start using green/wet fuel.

Maybe the best way to think of this is to realize that fire does not spread. Heat spreads. Fire does not move from one object to the next. Fire will heat the next object until it combusts on its own by reaching its combustion temperature. What you really want to do is build a pile that will heat objects to that point quickly. It's not a 3' high flame that does this. It's a big pile of red hot coals. This is why we start with small materials. They heat up to combustion quickly, become coals quickly, and produce enough heat to start the process again with larger fuel. This is why we can take a single ember and turn it into flames with the right tinder. Blowing on the ember gives it additional oxygen which lets it produce more heat which heats the tinder which combusts into flames.

Once people start to realize that they are managing heat, and producing a bed of coals, I find that they become much better at making a fire and keeping it.

[oldsarge]

And it's easier to cook with those coals than an open flame...at least I think so.

[Marshmallow]

I have never tried to start a fire without matches. Thanks for this thread because I would love to learn how, especially now that the grandchildren are going off with us. They would love it that Grandma can start her own fires.

[Gus]

plenty of good advice already. Especially Grandpa's tip for dealing with wet wood, and Indianna Hiker's tip on fire starters. I have used both. But unless it is an emergency situation, or I'm just feeling lazy, I like to start all my fires without the aid of fire starters. I guess it's sort of a macho guy thing.

I use a teepee for the tinder and kindling, surrounded by a log-cabin of larger kindling and bulk pieces. I even did an article on the different methods of fire construction, and their pros and cons - but it is an article link to my site, so don't click it if you think it's spammy for me to put it here. I'm just trying to be helpful because your intended use of the fire, (ie. warmth vs cooking, or in a hurry vs. no rush), could effect the way you start. How to build a campfire for cooking and enjoying.

Hope it helps
Gus

[Dura Mater]

Some good info here, especially the part about splitting wood to get to the dry inside. Unless it's bone dry out I would also avoid picking things up off the ground. If you want dry wood look up not down. I think we all start out doing the same things and having the same problems, skills just seem to advance faster now because good advice is only as far as your fingertips.