10 Campfire Tricks Every Part-Time Camper Should Know

There are two kinds of campers: people who basically live outdoors, and the rest of us, who go a few weekends a year and act like we never left. This guide is for the rest of us.

You don't need a survival badge to run a great campfire. You need a few good habits, a little patience and a decent pile of dry wood. Here are the ten tricks that matter most.

1. Check the fire rules before you pack the matches

Fire restrictions change with the season and the weather. A campground that allowed fires last summer might have a burn ban this week.

Check with the campground host, the park or forest website, or the ranger station before you go. If fires are banned, bring a camp stove and a lantern and make it a stargazing night.

2. Use the fire ring that's already there

If your site has a fire ring or pit, use it. Don't build a new one. Smokey Bear's guidance is to keep your fire at least 15 feet from tents, shrubs and trees, and to watch for low branches overhead.

Clear dry leaves and twigs away from the ring so a stray ember has nothing to snack on.

3. Buy firewood where you burn it

Hauling wood from home feels thrifty, but firewood can carry invasive insects and diseases into new forests. Many parks and states restrict out-of-area firewood for exactly this reason.

Buy it at or near the campground. Bonus: it's usually seasoned and split already.

4. Bring the trio: tinder, kindling and fuel

Every good fire is built in three layers:

• Tinder catches the spark: dry grass, paper, wood shavings or a store-bought fire starter.
• Kindling is the pencil-to-thumb-sized stuff that catches from the tinder.
• Fuel wood is the bigger split wood that keeps it going.

Most "this wood won't light" problems are really "I skipped the kindling" problems.

5. Pack a homemade fire starter

Cotton balls smeared with petroleum jelly, stored in a zip bag or an old pill bottle, light easily and burn long enough to get damp kindling going. Dryer lint stuffed into a cardboard egg carton works too.

6. Pick your build: teepee or log cabin

A teepee is a cone of kindling leaned over your tinder. It lights fast and burns hot.

A log cabin stacks wood in alternating layers around a small teepee, like a little fort. It burns steadier and leaves an even bed of coals for cooking.

7. Let it breathe

Fire needs air as much as wood. Pile on too much too fast and you'll get smoke instead of flame. Add wood gradually and leave gaps.

8. Cook on coals, not flames

Big flames burn food on the outside and leave it cold in the middle. For foil-packet dinners, hot dogs and golden marshmallows, wait for glowing coals.

Hold the marshmallow a few inches above the coals and turn it slowly. Setting it on fire on purpose is also allowed. We don't judge.

9. Dress for sparks

Pop and crackle means flying embers. Some synthetic fabrics can melt when an ember lands on them, while natural fibers like cotton and wool are less likely to melt. Nothing is fireproof, though, so keep a respectful distance.

Tie back long hair, keep loose sleeves away from the flames, and bring a cozy layer for when the sun goes down.

10. Put it out completely: drown, stir, feel

This is the most important trick on the list. Never leave a fire unattended. Before bed or before you leave, use Smokey Bear's method:

1. Drown it with lots of water.
2. Stir the ashes and embers with a shovel or stick, then drown it again.
3. Feel for heat by holding the back of your hand near (not on) the ashes.

Campfire checklist

The best campfires aren't about perfect technique. They're about the people around them, the dumb jokes and the stories that get a little bigger every year. Get the fire right and safe, and the rest takes care of itself.

Browse our Outdoor Tees before your next trip. And if your camping mostly happens in the backyard, we've got Backyard Humor for that. See you around the fire.