Making a proper fire may not seem that difficult (mainly because it really isn't) but there are simple skills required to make a proper fire that will make the task much easier.
Before building any fires make sure you have the means to extinguish one if it gets out of control. Fire extinguishers, buckets of water, or even a pail full of ashes work great. In addition to having a way to put out your fire make sure the flume is open on your chimney, if you are building a fire in your fireplace that is.
Step One: Gather the materials.
- Tools- ax, maul, wedge, knife
- Kindling- Small shaving of wood. Use a knife of ax to make these. They will usually be abundant after splitting a bunch of wood.
- Tender- Small pieces of wood no wider than 1/2 of an inch. Use the ax to make these.
- Fuel- larger logs. Split wood works best. You should have an assortment of split wood to be used as fuel ranging in width sizes from an inch to half a foot. These will be made by splitting wood using the maul.
Step Two: Arrange the kindling and tender
- Arrange the kindling in a small pile. Kindling will catch with the flame of one match as long as it is dry. The purpose of the kindling is to light the tender.
- Build a "log cabin" around the kindling using the tender.
Step Three: Light The Fire!
- It is most manly to just use one single match to make an entire fire. So, take one match and light the kindling in a couple places.
- Fires require oxygen. If the flame is reduced to embers, or it is not growing, lean in close and blow on it with deep long breaths.
Step Four: Add more tender and then fuel to the fire.
- When the tender "log cabin" has caught fire you need to add larger tender to build the fire up to a point where it can handle the fuel.
- Lay larger tender and the smallest fuel logs across the flame. Be careful not to smother the flame!
- When the fire is going steadily add larger fuel to the fire.
- Maintain the fire by adding fuel.
- Sit back and enjoy the heat produced by your fire.
Step Five: Extinguishing the fire.
- If your fire is outside in a fire pit extinguishing your fire is as simple as dousing it in water until it is cool enough to place your hand in it.
- If your fire is in a fire place you pretty much have to wait for the flame to burn itself out. This takes planning; Only build a fire if you are going to be at home and able to tend to it.
- If you need to extinguish a fire in a fireplace quit adding more fuel to it, then use a poker to break the remaining charred logs up (this will cause them to burn quicker). Next grab your pail of ashes (sand also works) and pour it over the coals. This should put out all the flames. Make sure to keep an eye on the fire to make sure no flames pop back up.
- Leaving the house at this point is up to you. I personally wouldn't leave any coals burning until I am 100% sure that everything is out.
- DO NOT pour water into your fireplace. This could cause tiles or bricks to crack!
So there you have it. Now you can make a fire. You may not get it on your first try but with practice you will be making fires like your caveman cousins in no time.
