Expert campfire tips from Rohan

The 1-2-3 of lighting a fire

To create a fire you need three things: heat, fuel and oxygen. When you’re camping the fuel is likely to be wood that you have collected. Oxygen comes from the air. And the heat – the thing that starts the fire off – will usually be provided by a match. If any one of these things is missing, you won’t have a fire.

Collect your fuel before you start

Before you start, collect plenty of fuel. This should be dry, dead wood which varies in thickness from matchstick-thin "kindling" up to inch-thick sticks. 

Choose and prepare a good site

Carefully choose a site away from overhanging branches and a good distance from your tent. Clear away the ground to get to the bare earth.

Start small

Lay down some small sticks side-by-side to create a base or "hearth" for your fire. Arrange your kindling on top of this base into a little pyramid – leaving space inside for your smallest, driest, bits of kindling. Carefully light these with a match.

Remember you need oxygen

As long as your kindling is nice and dry, the key to getting a fire started is oxygen – you can blow lightly to provide extra oxygen or, for a bit of a boost, waft it with your camping plate.

Build your fire slowly

With your kindling burning nicely, add your fuel (your dry sticks) – gradually increasing the size as you go. Don’t put too many on at once – you’ll smother the fire by cutting off the oxygen supply.

When your fire is going nicely, it’s time to add some really big sticks – and maybe even a log. At this stage, you can start to relax a bit – but not too much. Always watch your fire carefully and never leave it unattended!