How to Build a Campfire Safely

Building a campfire is a great way to enjoy the outdoors! I always loved campfires while growing up, but I learned starting and controlling them safely can be challenging. Outdoor conditions can change quickly without warning. For example, a rain shower can soak available fuel, making it harder to catch fire, or a gust of wind can blow hot sparks into the air, increasing the risk of a wildfire. It is important to understand how to overcome these challenges if you want to enjoy a campfire. Anyone can build a campfire safely by planning ahead, observing fire safety rules, and following a few simple steps. 

• Tender (Anything that catches fire easily, no larger than a wooden match)
• Rake (garden or leaf)
• Windproof lighter & / or Wooden Strike Anywhere Matches
• Five-gallon bucket
• Three gallons of water
• Pocket knife 
• Shovel

Evaluate outdoor conditions to find out if they are favorable for a campfire.

• Check for Burn Bans in the area where you want to build a campfire. Burn Bans are locally imposed restrictions that prohibit outdoor fires when weather conditions pose a fire danger. Go to https://www.stacked.camp/fire and click on the link for your state. Then click on one of the websites listed to view a map showing counties where Burn Bans are in effect. Above is a Burn Ban map for Arkansas. Red indicates counties with Burn Bans that prohibit outdoor fires, while green indicates counties where outdoor fires are allowed (Source: Arkansas Department of Agriculture available at arkfireinfo.org).
• Review local weather forecasts to make sure weather conditions are suitable for a fire. Strong or gusty winds pose a wildfire risk. Also, decide if weather conditions will interfere with someone staying with your campfire at all times since it is never safe to leave it unattended.

Identify and gather tender to start your fire ahead of time and bring it with you. Doing this eliminates the need to search for tender at your campsite or worrying if it is wet. Pine straw and dryer lint are two examples of tender. A mixture of dryer lint and Vaseline works well for wet or breezy conditions. Don't panic if you forget this step. Those Fritos you brought to snack on make great tender too!

If your campsite has a permanent fire ring use it. If not:

• Choose a site on flat ground with no low overhanging branches.
• Place rocks in a circle three feet wide to make a fire ring.
• Use your rake to remove anything that burns within five feet of your fire ring on all sides.
• Place your five-gallon bucket of water and shovel nearby so you can use them to put the fire out quickly.

The images above show an example of a safe campfire site.

Now you're ready to collect fuel for your campfire. There are always plenty of fallen tree limbs on the ground you can pick up for your fire.

• Collect an armload of small sticks about the diameter of a pencil to get your fire started.
• Then collect a greater amount of sticks no larger than your wrist.
• You can also collect pine cones to burn as your fire begins to grow.
• Place the collected fuel outside the area you cleared to keep your campfire from spreading out of control.
• If the wood is damp you can remove the outer layer with your pocketknife to help it burn better.

You are now ready to start your campfire.

• Place a small amount of tinder in the center of your fire ring.
• Next place some of the smaller sticks around the tinder in the shape of a tepee to give the fire plenty of air as it starts burning.
• Then light the tinder with your windproof lighter or Strike Anywhere Matches.
• Slowly add fuel as your campfire begins to burn.

Give yourself a pat on the back. You've learned how to build a campfire safely by planning ahead, observing fire safety rules, and following a few simple steps. I hope you get to enjoy a campfire soon!