Secret Tools and Tricks to Create a Safe Campfire
- By Karla Solis
- Jun 7, 2017
There is nothing quite like sitting around a campfire with your friends or family in the great outdoors. The fire can help keep you warm after the sun goes down as well as provide you with a source to cook some hotdogs or roast some marshmallows for a delicious s’more. Sometimes getting a fire burning can be difficult, so I created this guide with some tricks and tips to help you create a safe campfire the next time you are camping.
Start by clearing the area where you want to make the campfire. You should always start a fire on bare soil so that it can easily be contained to that area. A fire ring should have a 10-foot diameter so that the fire has plenty of space to burn.
You should always have a lighter on hand when you are camping, but you should always have a backup to start the fire as well. A flint and steel striker may not be the most modern way to light a fire, but it will get the job done without using any fuel. If you decide to use matches, make sure that you get the strike anywhere variation that is waterproof and windproof so that you can still start a fire in the rain if you need. If you are in a sunny location, then you could even try a magnifying glass to create a spark.
Insofar as fuel to light the fire, you should use things like dry leaves, shavings of wood, balls of paper, and pine needles, but if you are having trouble, try these tricks:
• Gather some pinecones, and then dip them in some melted candle wax. It will make it easier to start the fire and the smoke will also have a nice scent. If you cannot find any pinecones, dried pine needles will have the same effect.
• Lint also is a great fire starter, which is why you need to clean the lint out of your dryer when it starts to accumulate. Now, you can make better use of the lint that you would normally throw away. Spread it out on a baking sheet, and then pour some melted wax over the entire thing. They work best when you are first starting the fire because the heat will melt the wax and the lint will ignite, making the small fire that you created much larger in a matter of seconds.
• Sawdust is another option that you can use, and a lot of times, it is very easy to acquire. In fact, many shops that do woodworking on premise will be more than happy to give you some of the sawdust that is littering their floors and workbenches. Once you have some sawdust, mix it with melted wax, and shape it using small containers. I have found that using a cardboard egg carton is useful, and you can even cut it into individual cups so that each one can be tossed onto the fire with the carton with ease.
• If you are snacking around the campfire, and the fire begins to dwindle, then I hope you have some cheese curls. Not the crunchy kind, the ones that are actually puffed up. Toss a few into the fire and your fire will start coming back to life quickly. It is also a great tool to use when you are just starting a fire. As long as there is a flame, these deliciously cheesy snacks will give it some life.
• You need to have dry wood for a good fire. If your wood is wet, then peel off the bark. Often times you will find dry wood underneath the bark that is much easier to burn.
• If it has been raining and the ground is wet, making a fire in your fire pit may not be an option because of the water pooling. Creating a mound for the fire to sit on is the best way to keep the flames from being extinguished in the puddle.
Since we are learning to create a safe campfire, remember that part of being safe is making sure that the fire is done burning completely. The best way to ensure this is to pour some water over the fire to smother the flames. Using dirt may douse the flames, but it will leave hot ashes for about an hour. Most importantly, enjoy the campfire that you created using these tricks.