Starting a Campfire that Lasts: The Basics Sitting around the campfire is a tradition as old as time. Whether you’re drying clothes, making light for your camp, or cooking, nothing dampens the mood quite like your fire going out. Well no more, here is a simple ‘how to build,’ simple ‘how to maintain’ – way to keep your campfire blazing! Materials: Firepit– Most campgrounds will have a contained area or pit for your fire to burn in. Firewood – Large pieces of wood (logs) that will burn for a longer amount of time. (The dryer the better!) Tinder – Materials that will help start the fire, twigs, dry needles, and leaves will all work. Kindling – Helps to get the fire going after the tinder is lit, typically smaller sticks (Less than an inch in diameter) Lighter or Waterproof Matches – A fuel source for the initial lighting of your campfire. This can be purchased in Old Forge Camping Resort’s Main Lodge. Set-Up: Safety First! – Make sure the area around your fire pit is clear of anything that could potentially catch fire. Clear Your Firepit – Clear the ashes from previous fires. Old ashes if wet or cold can make building your fire a bit harder. Stack Your Wood Piles – You’ll want your woodpiles relatively close to your fire so that you don’t have to go far when you need another log to keep your fire going. Building the Fire: There are countless ways to build a fire, but time and time again the log cabin fire has proven to be a simple way to build a fire that will last a long time and requires very little maintenance to keep it blazing. Put two logs parallel to each other at the bottom of your pit Stack two more logs on top perpendicular to the bottom logs (Your firepit should look like Jenga without the middle piece) Continue stacking the logs until they reach the height you desire Place the tinder and kindling in the center square Use your fire source to light the kindling Enjoy your long-lasting fire!
