How to Start a Fire in the Wild and Put It Out Safely

This guide covers fire only. For how fire fits with water, shelter and the other basics, see Top 10 Basic Survival Skills.

Before you light anything: check fire restrictions

Many areas ban campfires during dry seasons. Smokey Bear’s guide, from the U.S. Forest Service, says to search “fire restrictions” plus your location. You can also call the local park office or public lands agency.

If the campground, area rules or local laws prohibit fires, don’t build one. The National Park Service (NPS) also advises against building a fire when fire risk is high, even if you’re lost.

Pick a safe spot

Smokey Bear’s guide gives clear numbers:

1. Choose a flat spot with nothing overhead. Avoid windy areas and open fields.
2. Keep the fire at least 15 feet from tents, plants and low branches.
3. Make sure there is overhead clearance of at least three times the flame height.
4. Clear a circle at least 10 feet across.
5. Use an existing fire ring if there is one. If not, dig a pit about 1 foot deep and circle it with a metal ring or rocks.

Keep a bucket of water and a shovel next to the fire before you light it. Don’t build a fire in dry or windy weather.

Gather three sizes of material

A fire needs to grow in steps. If you jump straight to big wood, it smothers the flame.

Material	What it looks like	Examples
Tinder	Fine, dry, catches a spark or match	Small twigs, dry leaves, dry grass, pine needles, store-bought fire starters
Kindling	Sticks less than 1 inch around	Dry twigs and small sticks
Fuel	Larger dry wood	Dead, downed sticks and logs

Gather dry wood from the ground, but not from under leaves. Smokey’s guide notes leaves hold moisture. Never cut live or dead trees or branches.

Collect more tinder and kindling than you think you need. A good rule is two full handfuls of tinder and an armload of kindling before you strike anything.

Choose a fire lay

Put the tinder in the center of the pit. Then arrange kindling in one of these shapes from Smokey’s guide:

• Teepee: Lean kindling over the tinder like a tent. Lights fast and burns hot.
• Lean-to: Set one long piece of kindling at an angle over the tinder, then lean smaller pieces against it. Good for blocking light wind.
• Cross: Criss-cross kindling over the tinder. Burns longer.
• Log cabin: Stack kindling at right angles around the tinder, like a small box, with the smallest pieces on top. Steady and good for cooking.

Leave gaps. Fire needs air as much as fuel.

Light it

Lighter or matches

These are the easiest tools. The NPS Ten Essentials list calls for waterproof matches or a lighter, plus fire starters.

1. Kneel with your back to the wind.
2. Light the tinder at its base, on the side the wind is coming from.
3. Blow gently at the base once it catches.
4. Add kindling slowly, then larger wood as the fire grows.

Throw used matches into the fire. Never use gasoline or other flammable liquids.

Ferro rod (ferrocerium rod)

A ferro rod throws hot sparks when you scrape it with a steel striker or the spine of a knife. It works when wet and does not run out of fuel quickly. It does need very fine, dry tinder.

1. Make a small nest of your finest tinder. Add a cotton ball or fire starter if you have one.
2. Place the tip of the rod in the tinder.
3. Hold the striker still and pull the rod back toward you. This keeps you from knocking the tinder apart.
4. Repeat until a spark catches, then blow gently.

Friction methods

Bow drills and hand drills can make fire with no tools. They take a lot of practice and dry wood. Learn them as a hobby, but always carry a lighter and a backup.

Wet weather tips

Rain is the most common reason fires fail. These steps help:

• Pack fire starters and a lighter in a zip-top bag. Carry a second lighter in another pocket.
• Look for dry tinder in sheltered places, like under logs or rock overhangs.
• Split wet sticks to reach the drier wood inside.
• Build a small platform of sticks so the tinder isn’t sitting on wet ground.
• Shield the flame with your body or your pack.
• Gather double the kindling. Wet wood burns slowly and needs more feeding.

While the fire burns

Smokey’s guide lists these rules:

• Keep the fire small. Add wood only as needed.
• Never leave a fire unattended. Watch children and pets.
• Don’t burn trash, aerosol cans, pressurized containers, batteries, glass or aluminum.
• Don’t sit on the fire ring rocks. They get hot and stay hot.
• If the fire spreads to plants or embers land outside the pit, call 911 right away.

Put it out completely

Smokey Bear’s method has four steps:

1. Drown: Pour lots of water on the fire until the hissing stops. Don’t use only dirt or sand.
2. Stir: Mix the water into the embers with a shovel. Scrape sticks and logs so no embers stay glowing.
3. Drown again: Keep adding water until everything is cool.
4. Feel: Hold the back of your hand over the ashes to check for heat.

The rule is simple: “If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave.” Pack out everything you brought in.

Common mistakes

• Starting with wood that is too big, so the flame dies.
• Packing kindling too tight, which blocks air.
• Carrying only one way to light a fire.
• Building a fire under low branches or close to a tent.
• Leaving when the fire “looks out” but ashes are still warm.

Fire kit checklist

• Two lighters, stored in different pockets
• Waterproof matches
• Ferro rod and striker
• Fire starters (cubes, cotton balls, or similar)
• Zip-top bag to keep it all dry
• Water bottle or container to put the fire out

For fire safety at home, see Fire Safety and Preparedness. For using fire as part of a plan when you’re lost, read Essential Wilderness Survival Skills.

Related guides

• Top 10 Basic Survival Skills and How to Practice Each One

Sources

• Campfire Safety — Smokey Bear (U.S. Forest Service)
• How to Maintain and Extinguish Your Campfire — Smokey Bear (U.S. Forest Service)
• Campfire Rules — Smokey Bear (U.S. Forest Service)
• Ten Essentials — National Park Service
• Outdoor Emergency Plan (PDF) — National Park Service