Last Updated on 10/2025 by Mom Goes Camping
Making a campfire (or what I like to call caveman television) is by far one of the most fun parts of camping. It’s also a really important survival skill to know in case you ever need to signal for help, dry wet clothing or purify water.
Here’s what you need to know to make a campfire in the woods, even if it is windy or wet conditions. I’ve been camping with my kids for years, and these are the techniques that have worked for me time and time again—even when conditions aren’t ideal.
1. Start with Your Fire Pit or Circle
No matter what, you ALWAYS must contain your fire. This usually means digging a fire pit or making a circle with rocks. Seriously, do not skip this step. No matter how immune to forest fires you think you are, it is best to play it safe. Plus, that pit or rock circle will be a good resting point for your poker sticks.
Why this matters: Forest fires can start from a single stray ember. Even on a calm day, a gust of wind can carry sparks into dry brush. I’ve seen firsthand how quickly things can go wrong when campers skip this basic safety step.
How to create a proper fire ring:
- Clear a 10-foot diameter area around your fire site, removing all leaves, twigs, and dry grass
- If there’s an existing fire ring at your campsite, use it—this minimizes environmental impact
- If you need to create one, dig down about 6-12 inches and circle it with rocks
- Make sure there are no low-hanging branches overhead
2. Understand Tinder vs. Kindling vs. Fuel Wood
Once I went camping with a complete newbie and took it for granted that some people don’t know how to make a fire. Here’s what happened:
The fire I’d built had died down. We were in the tent getting ready to sleep. Well, it turns out that my super-macho friend was scared out of his mind of bears (nevermind that there weren’t any bears where we were camping!). He was getting on my nerves, so I reassured him by saying, “Don’t worry. Even if there were any wild animals out there, they would have been scared off by the fire.”
Two minutes later, he gets out of the tent to refuel the fire! Except that the fire had died down to embers and he put giant logs on top of them. Well, you can’t light a giant log with embers. Within a few minutes, there was smoke all over the place and making me gag. I had to go out and (trying not to laugh at him 😉 ) explain that first you put on little sticks, then you put on bigger sticks, and only then you put on the big logs.
So, to break it down technically, here’s the type of wood you need:
Tinder: This is very dry, very small pieces of wood or fluffy items like dry moss or bark. Tinder is what you use to start your fire. Some people bring their own tinder when camping. Think of materials that would catch fire from a single match—that’s tinder. Good examples include:
- Dryer lint (I save this in a ziplock bag before trips)
- Dry pine needles
- Birch bark (only collect what’s already fallen)
- Cotton balls rubbed with petroleum jelly
- Small wood shavings
Kindling: These are small sticks and twigs, usually the thickness of a pencil up to your thumb. Once you’ve got your tinder burning, you use the tinder to light the kindling. This is the bridge between your initial flame and the larger wood that will sustain your fire.
Fuelwood: Contrary to what you might think, you don’t need big giant logs for your fire. Sticks and branches about the circumference of your arm are ideal for most campfires. Once your kindling is burning, you put the fuelwood on. These pieces will burn longer and provide sustained heat for cooking or warmth.
3. Gathering Firewood the Right Way
As I talk about in my post about things to never bring camping, DO NOT USE AN AX TO CUT FIREWOOD! Aside from destroying nature, cutting trees for firewood is a bad idea because the wood is still alive. You want dead, dry wood for your fire!
It really shouldn’t be that hard to find branches that have fallen. If you are at a popular campground which has already been picked clean, then you might need to walk a bit further to find firewood.
The golden rule: Make sure you GET A LOT OF KINDLING. In fact, get 3x more kindling than you think you will need. You’d be surprised how quickly a campfire burns up all that wood, and you don’t want to go gathering more wood after dark. That’s a good way to sprain your ankle!
What to look for:
- Wood that snaps cleanly when broken (dry wood)
- Branches that are already on the ground—never cut from standing trees, even dead ones
- Wood that’s light in color inside (not dark and rotted)
- Different sizes from pencil-thin to arm-thick
What to avoid:
- Green wood (living wood won’t burn well and creates excessive smoke)
- Wood that’s touching the ground and soaking wet
- Poison ivy or poison oak vines (they can cause respiratory irritation when burned)
- Treated wood or wood with paint
Pro tip from experience: Before you even start building your fire, gather all your wood and sort it into three piles: tinder, kindling, and fuel. This way you’re not scrambling to find the right size stick while your fire is dying out.
4. Breaking Wood Safely
You just found a great piece of firewood but it is 15 feet long? Never try to break branches with your arms. You’ll end up with a lot of scratches. Instead, try these methods that I’ve refined over years of camping trips:
The Under-Foot Break: Get your boots on. Leave the branch on the ground and put your foot at the point where you want to break it. Then pull the branch upwards with your hands. This method works great for branches up to about 2 inches thick.
The Over-Knee Break: Bend one knee up in the air. Hold the branch over your knee and pull both sides towards you. It should break over your knee. I use this for thinner kindling pieces. Be careful not to use this method on anything too thick—save your knees!
Use the Fire: If a branch is too big to break, then you can just lay it over the fire. The fire will eventually burn away the middle of the branch so it breaks. Then you can just push the branch further into the fire. This is actually a traditional method called a “star fire,” and it’s great for conserving wood.
Safety note: Always wear closed-toe shoes when breaking wood. I learned this the hard way after dropping a heavy branch on my foot while wearing sandals—not fun!
5. Choose the Right Fire Lay for Your Conditions
There are five main ways to lay a fire. Most people know the teepee lay, but there are some lays which are better for other conditions. For example, when making a fire in the rain, I use the A-frame or lean-to fire lay.
The fire lay you choose can make the difference between a roaring campfire and a frustrating evening of smoke and disappointment. Here’s what works in different situations:
Teepee lay: Best for quick fires and when you need immediate heat. It’s easy to build and lights readily, but burns through wood quickly.
Log cabin lay: Creates a longer-lasting fire with a flat top—perfect for cooking. This is my go-to when we’re planning to roast hot dogs or make campfire meals.
Lean-to or A-frame lay: Excellent for windy or rainy conditions because the structure protects the flame. I’ve used this method to keep fires going in some pretty miserable weather!
Star fire: Great for conserving wood. You feed the logs into the center as the ends burn.
Want detailed instructions? Read about the 6 main fire lays in my comprehensive guide. Each method has its place, and knowing when to use which one comes from experience—but I’ll share what I’ve learned so you can skip the trial and error.
Final Tips from My Years of Camping
Always check fire restrictions: Before you even pack for your trip, check if campfires are allowed in the area you’re visiting. Dry seasons often bring fire bans, even in established campgrounds.
Have water nearby: Keep a bucket of water or your water bottle within reach. You’ll need it to fully extinguish the fire when you’re done.
Never leave your fire unattended: Even for a quick bathroom break, someone should stay with the fire. Sparks can fly and conditions can change quickly.
Put it out completely: Drown your fire with water, stir the ashes, add more water, and repeat until you can safely touch the ash. It should be cool to the touch before you leave your campsite or go to sleep.
Building a campfire is one of those camping skills that gets better with practice. My first few attempts were pretty pathetic, but now I can get a fire going in rain, wind, or just about any condition. The key is understanding the principles—proper preparation, the right wood sequence, and choosing the correct fire lay for your situation.
Have questions about making a fire in specific conditions? Drop them in the comments below—I love helping fellow campers solve their outdoor challenges!
Image credit: “Kindling, pseudo kindling, not quite tin” (CC BY-NC 2.0) by V’ron
