My must have in a house is a fireplace. In the summer whenever we camp at a campground that has a fire ring you’ll find us cooking turkey dogs over the campfire. It may seem easy to get a fire going but it often isn’t.
How to make a fire
Many people roll up newspapers as logs or burn newspaper. I prefer not to do either though I’ll use one piece of paper as a lining under the rest of what I build. The wood used must be aged or you’ll either get so much popping and crackling that you’ll have to sit far away as not to get burned (Applicable if you are outside; if you are home you will have a screen.) or the wood will be damp and not burn. I’ve found wood at campgrounds to be excellent and at home I only buy wood from someone who has been recommended.
The key is to make a shape like a teepee with your wood. That allows the fire to breathe which it needs to burn versus piling wood on top of wood which will suffocate the fire. Start with small pieces called kindling wood. I put a piece of kindling wood on the bottom and then build the teepee around it. Once this has all caught I then add larger pieces.
The trick
The trick to all this is starter wood. I wouldn’t start a fire without it. I currently have two brands and styles. One is Coughlin’s Waterproof Fire Sticks and the other is Duraflame Firestart. The Firestart by Duraflame comes in a variety of packages. I am holding a 7-ounce package which contains one piece that is meant to be broken into two pieces.
Couglan’s makes sticks. I break my Duraflame Firestart into pieces however the Fire Sticks are much thinner. For one fire I’ll use perhaps one piece of the 7-ounce Duraflame Firestart. When using Coughlin’s Fire Sticks I’ll use perhaps 2 sticks which I break in half. These starters never fail to burn and if the wood is good will ignite the wood and I’ll have a roaring fire.
Whichever I use I place them under the loosely stacked wood. Neither brand leaves any odor. They are non-toxic, burn completely and are easy to store and pack.
Using these fire starters whether as blocks or sticks is my key to a great fire. I don’t leave home without them and always have them at home.
Please always burn a fire in a fire grill or inside a pit or with stones around it. Check with the campground if you are unsure of where to make your fire. Don’t leave a roaring fire unattended. If the fire hasn’t gone out completely them just separate the wood. You’ll have hot coals that will keep you warm. You can, of course, put it out with water but if you want a fire the next day it will be very hard to get one started in my experience even with the water proof Coughlin’s.
