Before you begin, however, you need a safe place for your fire. At a public campsite there's very likely a metal fire ring you can use. All you need do to assure its safety is to make sure there's nothing within spark distance from the ring. If you have no ring, you'll need to clear out an area ten feet or so all around of anything that can burn at the location you plan to start your fire. It's also a good idea to dig hole for a fire pit so your fire doesn't get kicked around. Lastly, have a bucket of water, sand, or dirt nearby to put the fire out quickly just in case it gets out of hand.

Once you have a spot prepared, you'll need to gather wood so you have plenty on hand while you're getting your fire started. The two keys to getting the right stuff are finding wood that is very dry and cured, and collecting the right size sticks for the initial lighting. To get dry cured wood, look for stuff that's fallen from a tree, then try breaking it. It should break with a sharp clean snap like a match stick. If it doesn't, the wood is either too green or too wet and won't work well for starting your fire. Don't overlook sticks that have broken from the tree, but are still hanging in the branches. These may well be cured and there's a good chance they are more dry than what has fallen to the ground. Don't, however, break branches off a tree. Doing so damages the tree and won't provide you with cured wood anyway. Gather sticks that vary from the size of tooth picks up to logs the size of your arm. Anything bigger and you probably won't be able to break it up for burning.

Back at your fire-pit, select two short sticks about the size of toilet paper tubes and lay them flat in a V shape where you want the center of your fire to be, and with the point of the V facing away from you. Put three or four pencil sized sticks on top of the V to support the kindling. Gather a double handful of the smallest sticks you can find (think tooth picks), and lay them across the supporting sticks spacing them as close together as possible. Add to this more of the pencil sized sticks. At this point you'll probably have to lean these against the pile like they were the poles of a Teepee. You should now have a pyramid of wood about 8 inches to a foot in height with a small open space at its base between the legs of the V. This open space is where you light the fire.

Forget rubbing two sticks together, or using a flint and steel set. Someone in your group will have a disposable cigarette lighter. You’re not on “Survivor”, and asking for a light at this point is quite acceptable. Once you have a match or a lighter, there’s a very decent chance your fire will start with no further preparation. You can greatly improve your odds though if you put a bit of tinder between the legs of the V and light it instead. You’re also less likely to burn your fingers holding the match too long. This tinder can be a bit of newspaper, cotton, dry grass or leaves, or even a bit of tissue paper. Use very little tinder, and keep it fairly loose. Wadding it up tightly or using too much will block the airflow through your pyramid. If you have a match, go ahead now and light it up. If you have a lighter, then light a little stick to use as a match, and poke it in the space between the legs of the V.

Assuming everything is dry and the wind didn’t blow out your match, you should now have a small fire burning up through your kindling. This little stuff will burn fast and hot, and it should light the pencil sized sticks. Sometimes when the fire is just getting started the flame will go out. If this happens, you can usually rescue your fire by blowing long slow breaths at the base of the fire. When it starts to roar a bit, back off and it will usually burst into flames again.

Once the pencil sized sticks start to burn, add finger sized sticks to the pile, then some the size of your thumb. Continue adding larger sticks until your fire is stabilized and a bed of coals is well developed. When you’ve a thick bed of coals that looks like what you’d find in your charcoal grill at home, you’re ready to cook. Grab your hotdogs or marshmallows, and bon appetite. Oh, and don’t forget to put your fire out before you leave.

Tip: If you know you’ll be starting a campfire, add a couple of self-lighting charcoal briquettes to your supplies, and use them instead of tinder. It’s quick and easy and nearly guarantees success.

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