There are many things a person needs to master before they can be a fully actualized adult, and three of the most important are knowing how to drive a standard transmission, being able to cook any steak to a perfect medium-rare, and the ability to start a campfire with a single match. I can’t help you with the first two, but if you are out of practice with campfires, here are a few hard-earned tips.

Tip 1:
What’s the First Step?
As with many endeavors, determine what the purpose is before you start. You don’t need half a cord of wood if you are building a fire to cook your lunch, and you don’t want to be thrashing around in the dark woods at 3 a.m. looking for fuel to keep your heat source going until dawn. Assemble everything you are going to need before you strike the match.

Tip 2:
Surrounding & Placement.
You want a BIG campfire to sit around? Make sure the ground is clear, there is nothing flammable nearby downwind, and there are no overhanging branches. A small fire to cook dinner? Keep it small, dig down and make a small pit, and surround it with rocks to support the pans. Ground very wet or covered with snow? Lay a base of small or split logs and build the fire on top of this consumable shelf.

Tip 3:
Be Prepared.
A few solid fuel fire starters, a waterproof container full of dryer lint, and some waterproof matches take up little room when wrapped in a zip-top bag, but make starting a fire much easier. A few of those joke birthday candles that can’t be blown out are also very useful. While the one-match start is ideal, don’t let hubris control you – bring plenty of waterproof matches.

Tip 4:
Dry Makes Things Easy.
Dry is a good place to start with all aspects of a fire. Find dry tinder and kindling to start your fire. If everything is wet, split dead wood and cut kindling from the inside of the log. Don’t ever pull rocks from a stream or lake to construct a fire ring – water can seep into cracks in the rock and when it boils the rock can split with surprising force. This actually happened to me once, sending shrapnel through the air.

Tip 5:
Planning & Patience.
Plan your fire starting carefully, and be patient. Build a foundation of very fine tinder. Dryer lint is great; an old, dry bird nest is good (break it up so air can circulate through it); or whittle tiny shavings from very dry wood. Make sure there is plenty of room for air circulation, but not too much. This is where experience counts, because too much space in the tinder will prevent it from maintaining the fire. Crisscross small pieces of kindling above the tinder, and then add progressively larger kindling. Remember to start small, then add larger pieces of fuel. Light the tinder from the bottom, not the top.

Tip 6:
Learn From Every Fire Made.
Always allow a space for air to get to the fire. Strong wind will make the fire burn hotter and faster. Be aware of where the sparks are landing downwind from the fire. Don’t make a fire larger than you need, but when you’ve gathered what you think is enough wood, go back and at least double the size of the wood pile – wood burns faster than you think. Use only dead, dry wood; don’t ever cut living trees for firewood. Evergreens burn fast and hot (the dried sap is very flammable) while hardwoods burn hotter and longer, but are difficult to start. So, if possible, use softwood to start your fire, and then maintain it with hardwood.

Tip 7:
Have an Exit Strategy.
Fire is a useful tool, but can quickly get out of hand. Plan how to put it out before you light the fire. I’ve put out campfires by dousing on water, stirring the ashes and drowning it again, only to come back hours later and find it still smoldering. Make sure the fire is out before you leave the area.

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