How To Build A Campfire

One of the great joys of camping, naturally is being in the great outdoors, and one of the joys of being in the great outdoors is building, lighting and enjoying your very own campfire.

If you’re planning to camp at a campsite, then be aware that they don’t all allow open fires on site, so if having an open fire is important to you then make sure you check before you book.  Please see www.ukcampsite.co.uk for their full list of campsites which allow fires. Those sites which do allow fires will usually have designated areas or guidelines on where to build your fire. We’ve even come across some campsites where each pitch or every other pitch have a designated fire pit area.

If you are planning to camp in the wild, then first of all you must be aware that all land in the UK is owned by somebody somewhere, so you must gain permission before rocking up and pitching your tent. However there are several remote ares where wild camping is tolerated, see www.pitchup.com’s article on Wild Camping for more details.

Wherever you are going to start a fire, a few safety rules should apply.

Building the Campfire

• Choose a spot that’s at least 15 feet away from shrubs, trees, or any other flammable objects including your tent!
• Beware of low hanging branches above you.
• Take note of the wind direction to try and prevent smoke billowing into your neighbours, or even worse, your tent!
• Clear a 10 foot diameter area around the site of the fire, clearing all twigs,grass,leaves and firewood from the area.
• Dig a pit about a foot deep into the dirt and circle it with rocks (to help contain the fire)
• Fill the pit with small bits of dry wood and kindling,light it, then as the fire gets going gradually add larger dry bits of wood and dead branches and eventually logs. Never rip brances off trees, they won’t burn well, and it’s not very nice for the trees!   Here’s a few ideas of how to shape your fire :-

Maintaining the Campfire

• Once your fire is strong, add logs and large bits or dry wood to keep it burning steadily.
• Don’t get too carried away, keep it to a manageable size
• Make sure that kids and pets are supervised near the fire
• NEVER leave the fire unattended
• Don’t cut branches from live trees……look a little harder!
• Don’t go stumbling around in the forest in the dark searching for wood after a couple of glasses of your favourite tipple, branches hurt when you smack your face on them! – take a Camping Lantern

Extinguishing the Campfire

• If possible, allow the wood to burn completely to ash
• Pour plenty of water on the fire and cover all of the embers, not just the red ones. Take a Fire Bucket with you
• Keep pouring water until the hissing sound stops
• Stir the embers and ashes with a shovel and make sure everything is cold to the touch
• If you don’t have enough water then use dirt or sand and stir it into the fire to make sure it’s out
• Don’t throw your rubbish on the campfire,many materials are toxic or won’t burn. Take a Waste Bin with you

Whilst your fire is lit you might want to toast bread, marshmallows, or maybe even sausages over the fire, if you have enough imagination you could feed several families at once with a few frankfurters and a rake!

If you prefer though you might want to combine your campfire experience with the more traditional cooking methods of a  Camping BBQ or Camping Stove.

Whatever situation you find yourself in, always follow the safety procedures when building and extinguishing your fire, and just as importantly, kick back in your Camping Chair, relax, and share some drinks,laughs and good times with your friends and family. Happy Camping!