Fire Making is one of the most important survival skills you can learn. But do you know how fire works? Fire is what happens when a chemical reaction called combustion takes place. This means that some material (the fuel) combines with oxygen in the air and releases heat and light. The fuel has to reach a certain temperature (the ignition point) for this to happen, and the fire will keep burning as long as there is enough fuel, heat and oxygen. The color of the fire tells you how hot it is. Red flames are the coolest, while white or blue flames are the hottest.
Fire Making 101: How to Start and Maintain a Campfire Fire is essential for survival in the wilderness. It can provide warmth, light, cooking, and protection. But do you know how to start and maintain a campfire? In this blog post, we will show you the basic steps and materials you need to build a fire.
Step 1: Create a fire ring. Find a flat spot on the ground that is clear of rocks and debris. Use the rocks you find to make a circle around the spot. This will help contain the fire and prevent it from spreading. If the weather is bad, you may need to dig a fire pit instead.
Step 2: Use small sticks to create a platform. Lay some small sticks or twigs flat on the ground inside the fire ring. This will create a base for the fire and allow air to flow under the tinder.
Step 3: Build up tinder. Tinder is any dry material that can catch fire easily. You can use natural tinder like dry grass, leaves, birch bark, or pine needles. You can also use man-made tinder like cotton balls, dryer lint, or newspaper. Pile up the tinder on top of the sticks.
Step 4: Light the fire. If you have matches or a lighter, use them to ignite the tinder. If not, you can use a flint stick or a bow drill to create sparks or friction. Once the tinder catches fire, blow gently on it to help it grow. 
Step 5: Slowly add kindling. Kindling is small pieces of wood that can burn quickly and provide more heat and flame. You can use soft woods like pine or cedar for kindling. Use a knife or hatchet to chop the wood into small pieces. Add a few pieces of kindling to the fire and wait for them to catch fire. Then add more pieces gradually until you have a steady flame.
Step 6: Add larger logs. Logs are large pieces of wood that can burn for a long time and provide more heat and light. You can use hard woods like oak or maple for logs. Arrange the logs in a teepee or log cabin shape around the fire. Use dry wood to avoid smoke and smoldering.
What You Need to Start a Fire Here are the supplies you will need to start a fire:
Matches, lighter, or flint stick: These are tools that can produce a flame or sparks to light the tinder.
Tinder: This is any dry material that can catch fire easily.
Kindling: This is small pieces of wood that can burn quickly and provide more heat and flame.
Firewood: This is large pieces of wood that can burn for a long time and provide more heat and light.
Fire extinguisher: This is a device or substance that can put out a fire in case of emergency.
Tip 1: Use a flint stick to light tinder. A flint stick is a handy tool that can produce sparks when struck with a steel striker or a knife. You can use it to light dry tinder, such as grass, leaves, or bark. To use a flint stick, make some shavings from the magnesium part of the stick and place them on top of the tinder. Then strike the flint part of the stick with the striker or knife to create sparks over the shavings. The sparks will ignite the shavings and the tinder.
Tip 2: Build an upside-down fire if the ground is wet. If the ground is wet or snowy, you may have trouble keeping your fire going. A solution is to build an upside-down fire, also known as a pyramid fire. This type of fire starts with large logs at the bottom and smaller ones on top, creating a pyramid shape. The fire burns from the top down, drying out the wood as it goes. To build an upside-down fire, place three or four large logs on the ground parallel to each other. Then place smaller logs on top of them at a right angle. Repeat this with even smaller logs until you have a pyramid shape. Place your tinder and kindling on top of the pyramid and light it.
Tip 3: Practice the bow drill method to create an ember. The bow drill method is one of the oldest and most reliable ways to make fire by friction. It involves rubbing a hand drill against a fireboard until enough heat is generated to create an ember. The ember can then be transferred to tinder and blown into flame. To use the bow drill method, you will need a fireboard, a hand drill, a bow, a socket, and some cordage. You can make these items from natural materials or use what you have on hand. Here are the steps to follow:
Cut a notch in the edge of the fireboard and make a depression in the center of it.
Tie one end of the cordage to one end of the bow and the other end to the other end of the bow, creating a loop.
Place the hand drill between the loop and twist it until it is tight.
Place the socket on top of the hand drill and hold it firmly with one hand.
Place the tip of the hand drill in the depression of the fireboard and hold it with your other hand.
Move the bow back and forth rapidly, spinning the hand drill against the fireboard.
Keep spinning until you see smoke and an ember forms in the notch of the fireboard.
Carefully transfer the ember to some tinder and blow gently on it until it catches fire.
Tip 4: Use a battery and steel wool to ignite tinder. If you have access to a battery and some steel wool, you can use them to start a fire easily. Steel wool is made of thin metal fibers that can conduct electricity and heat up quickly when in contact with a battery. To use this method, place some steel wool in the middle of your tinder pile. Then touch both terminals of a battery (preferably a 9-volt battery) to the steel wool. The steel wool should spark and burn immediately, igniting the tinder.
Tip 5: Use a magnifying glass to focus sunlight on tinder. Another way to start a fire is to use a magnifying glass or any other lens-like object (such as eyeglasses or a water bottle) to focus sunlight on your tinder. This method works best on sunny days and with dry tinder. To use this method, hold the magnifying glass above your tinder pile and angle it so that it catches sunlight. Adjust it until you see a small bright spot on your tinder. Hold it steady until you see smoke and an ember forms on your tinder. Then blow gently on it until it catches fire.
Tip 6: Keep your fire safe and under control. Once you have started your fire, you need to keep it safe and under control. Here are some tips to do that:
Choose a safe location for your fire away from trees, bushes, or other flammable materials.
Avoid building your fire on windy days or in dry conditions that could cause it to spread.
Gather enough wood for your fire before you start it so that you don’t have to leave it unattended while you look for more fuel.
Keep your fire small and manageable so that you can easily put it out if needed.
Always put out your fire completely before you leave it. Use water, dirt, or sand to extinguish the flames and embers. Stir the ashes and make sure they are cold to the touch.
Firemaking is a vital skill that can save your life in an emergency situation. By following these tips and tricks, you can make fire in the wild with ease.
