When camping one of the things you are going to have to do is provide light and warmth for your party by building a fire. This process is not as complicated as many people seem to think it is. All you will need is to gather some wood and position it correctly and you should be good to go. Just follow this simple guide and you will be able to build a great fire. This will make you the most popular guy in camp and give you the distinction of the true outdoorsman of the group.

The first step is finding an appropriate spot to build your fire. Most campgrounds will provide either a fire pit or fire circle that is already cleared for building a fire. If not you will need to find a clearing where no trees have limbs hanging over the spot you are planning on building your fire. You want to make sure to have plenty of room around the spot you choose so that sparks and hot ash won't be landing in trees or dry brush. Once you have chosen your spot it is a good idea to try to close off the circle with rocks. This will help to contain your fire and can stop logs from rolling off the top out into the campground. Make sure to clear away brush and loose foliage from the area surrounding your fire pit. This will be important later when you have a pile of fuel and you need to make sure it is a safe distance away from your fire. Once you have cleared your spot you are ready to start building the fire.

The next step is to gather fuel for the fire. You will need wood in every size and some dry brush that will serve as tinder for the fire.

Continued in Part 2