Is Bark Good Kindling? Quick Answer

Burning Tips ~ By John Bergstrom

Wood is a unique source of renewable stored solar energy – one that is more complex and diverse than other fuels. The energy in wood exists in both solid and gaseous form. Almost half the energy in firewood is in gas or smoke, and failure to properly burn the gases present in the wood can result in energy loss and either pollution or potentially dangerous creosote buildup in chimneys.

Newer, EPA-approved wood stoves are known to burn cleanly and efficiently. And with the right understanding of how a wood stove operates, they can burn at maximum efficiency, resulting in more heat, cleaner glass, less air pollution, and a cleaner chimney.

There are two types of combustion systems in clean-burning wood stoves – natural combustion and catalytic systems. Natural incinerators burn cleanly through their simple but ingenious design of primary and secondary air supply systems and combustion zones within the firebox. Catalytic designs have a replaceable catalytic burner that lowers the ignition temperature of the wood gases, much like a car’s catalytic converter.

Most kilns today have a fire control that controls the primary air and provides glass air washing. Air enters the firebox at the top just behind the glass, sweeps the glass down to the bed of coals and finally to the fire in the furnace. When you start or rekindle fires, you cause the air at the bottom face (near the glass) of the stove to flow back into the new wood, resulting in a much more reactive fire.

The bed of coal drives the entire clean combustion system, especially in natural incinerators. Establishing and maintaining a charcoal bed is necessary for clean fires and clean glass, especially with wet or oversized wood. The maintenance and management of the coal seam results in the cleanest burn and glass. In most stoves, the combustion system is designed to burn from front to back. As the fire burns down, the most responsive fires are created by raking the coals forward from the back of the stove before refilling. A rake or hoe-like tool is almost essential for handling the bed of coal in front-loading furnaces. It’s not uncommon to see at least a 2-inch bed of coals raked in just behind the glass door and only dead ash in the back two-thirds of the stove when refueling.

Ash accumulation in the firebox helps maintain higher furnace temperatures for cleaner burns and more even fires. The ash insulates and helps maintain a hotter coal bed. Many stoves don’t burn well until they have several fires of ash in the firebox. General advice for the best burns is to keep at least 3/4 inch of ash in the kiln at all times.

When you start a fire, whether it’s in a fireplace, campfire or for your wood stove, you don’t want to keep adding more wood because it burns up too quickly. A wood fire should be relaxing, last a long time, and provide plenty of warmth. So, what are the slowest burning firewoods and how long do they last?

Dense, properly seasoned hardwood burns the slowest and longest because there is more wood packed into every square inch, so it takes longer for the fire to get through. Oak, maple, ash, hickory, cherry, apple, hornbeam, walnut, hawthorn, and Osage orange trees are the slowest burning firewoods.

There are tons of hardwoods to choose from depending on what exactly you want from your fire and where that fire is located. Today we’re going to focus on the slowest burning firewood, so make yourself comfortable and put your feet up! Here is the list of the 10 slowest burning hardwoods and how long they last.

Just to add – if you buy through Tree Journey’s links, we may earn affiliate commissions if you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Hardwood vs. Softwood for firewood

When it comes to firewood and lumber, you have two basic choices: hardwood and softwood. Hardwoods come from most deciduous trees. These trees lose their leaves in winter, have broader leaves instead of needles, and produce less sap or resin than softwood trees.

Softwood trees are your conifers. These include cedar, pine, and most evergreen trees. They don’t shed their leaves in winter, but they drop some of their needle-like leaves each year. Softwood trees also produce thick, resinous sap when cut or damaged.

Why is hardwood better firewood?

Denser hardwoods like oak and birch burn slower, produce less smoke, and provide better heat energy than similarly sized softwoods.

Not all hardwoods are created equal when it comes to firewood. There are several types of hardwood that you should not burn in fireplaces or wood stoves. Poplar, for example, is a poor choice for firewood because it can produce a thick smoke with a bitter odor and can emit many sparks when burning.

However, hardwood is much better than most softwoods for fireplaces and wood stoves. As the name suggests, hardwoods are denser and therefore burn longer and hotter.

Firewood that is cut from high-quality hardwood trees and properly seasoned produces less smoke and creosote formation, burns longer, and produces more heat than softwood. This means you don’t have to worry as much about thick chimney stacks and spend the whole night throwing more logs on the fire to keep it burning.

Softwood firewood used

However, this does not mean that softwood cannot be firewood. Softwoods, especially when chopped into kindling, make great firestarters. Softwoods catch quickly and burn hot for short periods of time, which is great for starting a hardwood fire.

The resins that flow through softwood help it burn quickly.

Softwood can be used as outdoor firewood when burned in a campfire. It smokes and pops a bit, but since it’s all outside, you don’t have to worry much with a proper ring of fire. You get a fast-burning, hot fire that doesn’t last all night. If you’re camping you probably won’t stay up all night, you need to catch those early fish!

The 10 slowest burning firewoods

It’s difficult to narrow down an exact time for each type of firewood and exactly how long each will burn. Many factors need to be considered, e.g. B. How much airflow is around the fire, how you stack the logs and how thick the logs are. Even in a single tree you can get different densities and logs with different burn times.

All of the hardwoods in this list are fairly close in density, heat output, and burning time from start to ash. The average burn time for this list is 5 to 8 hours. This means you can get yourself a nice roaring fire full of warmth and atmosphere, go to bed and still have enough coals to make a fire when you wake up in the morning.

Now that we’ve established the difference between softwood and hardwood and which one is best for which application, let’s move on to the 10 slowest burning firewoods.

1. Oak

Oak firewood is probably some of the best firewood you can find. It doesn’t give off the most heat and doesn’t burn longer than any other firewood out there, but the other benefits just put oak firewood at the top of any list.

Oak is an excellent firewood because it generates a lot of heat, produces very little smoke or sparks, but it doesn’t split very easily.

Oak wood gives off a lot of heat. For a cord of wood that is 128 cubic feet, oak measures an average of 27 million BTUs. There are a few hardwood species that burn hotter than oak, but they’re harder to find. Oak is plentiful almost everywhere in the United States, making it an easy-to-find, hot-burning, durable fuelwood choice.

Oak firewood also burns cleanly when seasoned. You won’t make much smoke or creosote when burning oak.

An oak fire burns long. We used a wood stove to heat our family home and lots of oak wood. It was easy to find and if I had a good bed of coal at night it generated a lot of heat that lasted all night.

If you get up in the middle of the night to drink some water or stumble to the bathroom you may need to put a log or two on the fire just to keep it extra warm, but most of the time with oak it’s unnecessary firewood and it can last at least half the night (5-8 hours) if it’s in a wood stove.

For more specific oak species, check out our article on the 10 Best Oak Trees for Firewood!

2. Maple

Maple firewood is another good choice for firewood because it burns hot, is efficient, and is available almost everywhere. It doesn’t get as hot as most oak firewood; it burns at around 25 million BTUs per cable.

This hardwood isn’t as dense as oak, so it doesn’t typically burn as long, but it’s still a hot, durable choice for firewood. Another benefit – as some see – is when you burn this wood in your fireplace or campfire, the smell emanating from maple is sweet. Depending on which variety you burn, you may smell maple syrup or get scents similar to cherry and applewood.

In your stove, maple is a good choice for the heat it puts out, the long-lasting fire, and its availability. In this list, in terms of longevity, maple firewood would fall somewhere in the middle of all those long-lasting firewoods, most likely lasting around 4-7 hours in a wood-burning stove at the average temperature.

If you want to learn more about our top two firewood trees, you can read our article on the key leaf and bark differences between oak and maple trees here.

3. Ash

Some people will swear by ash for firewood and say it’s the best around. There are certainly many reasons why it is a great firewood. If you cut and split your own firewood, it is a very easy wood to split, does not age long, especially compared to oak, and burns clean and hot.

In a wood stove meant to heat your house, ash is great because it gives off about as much heat as maple wood. Although it will probably last longer due to the harder density.

Ash firewood also produces very little ash when burned. It burns very cleanly, which means you have less cleaning to do after a fire. Ash firewood lasts about as long as oak which means a good fire should burn for around 6 to 8 hours and will provide your home with plenty of long lasting warmth.

People enjoy ash firewood because it splits easily and matures in a short time. Where oak takes at least a year, sometimes even three, ash is ready to burn in about 6 to 8 months. It’s a great choice if you’re running low or need firewood soon.

4. Hickory wood

Hickory is one of the few firewoods that even surpasses the mighty oak. It’s a super-dense wood and burns hotter than oak at 28 million BTUs per cord. It also lasts a little longer than oak.

In a fireplace and wood stove, hickory firewood is an all-star champion. It provides even more heat than coal and lasts a very long time. It may not be as widely available as oak or maple firewood, but if you can find or buy hickory firewood, you should.

Hickory lives up to the legend of being a very hard wood. If hickory is difficult to crack open, the wood is just as difficult, if not more difficult, to split. If you cut and split your own firewood, you probably need a hydraulic splitter. Aside from the difficulty in splitting, hickory firewood is among the hottest and longest burning firewoods.

If you are in the market for a small hydraulic splitter, Bestauto’s Log Splitter Pump Kit is a fantastic option! It is made of high-quality aluminum, which is also wear-resistant. It is also compatible with horizontal and vertical shaft motors.

5. Cherry

Arguably the most pleasant characteristic of burning cherry wood is the sweet aroma. You may not notice this when burning cherry wood in your wood stove, but it’s very noticeable in fireplaces and campfires.

However, this is where this wood really shines. Cherry firewood only burns at about 20 million BTUs, which is less than our other firewoods on the list. If you cut your own wood and use firewood to heat your home, cherry is a good wood in a pinch as it splits easily and ripens quickly.

Cherry wood is still a longer burning choice compared to poplar or butternut. It is similar in density to oak and should still give you a long burn time of at least 5 to 7 hours in a fireplace or wood stove.

6. Apple

Apple is another fragrant firewood known for its aromatic scent. Unlike cherry wood, apple is a hot burning wood and produces around 27 million BTUs per string. This is on par with oak.

However, apple trees are not nearly as widespread as oaks, as these trees are of course also prized for their fruit each late summer and fall. If an orchard is downsized or trees are phased out because they no longer produce as much fruit, you might get lucky and be able to buy apple wood.

Apple firewood is great for wood stoves because of the long-lasting, intense heat. The firewood is also great for fireplaces and campfires due to the heat and sweet smells that are produced when this wood is burned.

Overall, apple firewood is almost as durable as oak, retaining just as much heat but also giving off a lovely scent when burning; It’s great firewood for whatever you need.

7. Hornbeam

Hornbeam, which is more common on the eastern side of the US, is a firewood that allows you to worry less about the fire and more enjoy the comforting warmth this firewood provides. Hornbeam is a very dense wood, so it burns much longer than others.

A hornbeam cord delivers a high thermal output of 27 million BTUs. Due to the high density, this firewood may take a little longer to get up and running, but once this firewood runs out, you can load up the wood stove or fireplace and go about your business. For a firewood that will banish the bitterest chills and last 6 to 8 hours, you can’t go wrong with hornbeam firewood.

8. Walnut

Even in a list of great, long-lasting firewoods, we still have to have one that’s basically at the bottom of the list; Walnut. While this wood is still good firewood, it’s around your average mark for durability and warmth. It can be a little tricky to find as firewood unless you cut it yourself as the wood is valued in furniture making.

Walnut burns a little hotter than cherry at 22 million BTU, but it’s a medium-density wood and doesn’t burn as long as cherry. In a fireplace or campfire, when you mix walnut with something that is hotter, burns longer and has a more neutral smell, you get the benefit of a great smelling fire with added warmth and longevity.

If you have walnut trees on your property, you probably find that not much grows around them because walnut trees produce a substance that most other plants don’t like. Not to mention that the nuts that fall from the tree every fall can wreak havoc on your lawn mower.

I mention this because you could cut the walnut trees off your property. If yes, then why not use it as firewood?

Walnut isn’t the kind of firewood you’ll be actively looking for, but thinning it off your property makes decent, long-lasting firewood logs. It’s better than turning it into mulch – because you could end up accidentally destroying your landscaping if you do so.

9. Hawthorn

If you have crooked, thorny hawthorn trees on your property and want to get rid of them, then a good season or two of great, hot, long-lived firewood awaits you. Hawthorn trees are very dense and burn pretty hot at 25 million BTUs per cord.

Because this tree has large thorns and is difficult to split, you may not find hawthorn commercially. If you cut your own firewood or cut these trees off your property, you are getting some of the finest firewood available.

Hawthorn wood has a wavy, twisted grain that’s difficult to split and large spikes that you have to be careful with, but it’s a dense wood that burns long. Think somewhere between oak and hickory in terms of longevity. So if you have hawthorn, burn it in your fireplace, wood stove, or campfire. It’s great firewood.

10. Osage Orange

Also known as horse apple — though the green, wrinkled-looking fruit isn’t actually edible — Osage orange tops the list for density, warmth, and long-lasting firewood. Some people have even reported that the heat emanating from Osage Orange is so hot that it can warp the wood stove meta

Osage Orange firewood releases intense heat, 34 million BTUs per cord, and is better used as a supplement to cooler-burning firewoods like hawthorn or ash. It is also known to create sparks, so the best place for this firewood is around the campfire.

This firewood is not as widely available in the US as others on the list because it requires perfect soil conditions, is considered somewhat of a nuisance, and is so dense that it is difficult to cut. Aside from that, if you prune your own Osage orange trees, you’ll have a hot, marathon-long fire with this firewood.

Which wood must not be burned?

If you are burning firewood in your stove and do not know what type of wood it is, it is best to leave it out of your stove. Only burn wood that you bought from a reputable firewood dealer or if you know exactly what kind of wood it is. You don’t want to burn softwoods, which will smoke and cause a lot of creosote buildup that needs constant cleaning.

Softwoods are good for outdoor campfires. They generate a lot of heat quickly and can make quite a lot of sparks, so they’re better suited to outdoor fires.

You already know this, but you shouldn’t be burning any scrap wood/building materials anywhere. Unknown chemicals can be released when you burn scrap wood, which isn’t safe outdoors either.

That’s a wrap!

There you have it, the 10 slowest burning firewoods and how long they burn. All of the woods on the list are great, durable woods with firing temperatures high enough to keep you warm and give you plenty of time to enjoy the amazing, natural warmth.

Oak, maple, and ash are all firewoods that you can likely purchase from local firewood stores and are great for all your wood burning needs. A few others on this list, like hickory, osage orange, and hawthorn, are woods that you should cut for yourself to use as firewood as they make great, long-lasting firewoods.

References:

Larjavaara, Markku, and Helene C. Muller-Landau. “Rethinking the Value of High Wood Density.” Functional Ecology, vol. 24, No. 4, [British Ecological Society, Wiley], 2010, pp. 701-05.

P. Abbot, J. Lowore, C. Khofi, M. Werren, Definition of Fuelwood Quality: A Comparison of Quantitative and Rapid Assessment Techniques for Evaluating Fuelwood Species from a South African Savanna, Biomass and Bioenergy, Volume 12, Issue 6, 1997, pp. 429- 437, ISSN 0961-9534.

Robert Francis, Alexa Dufraisse, Strategies for collecting and managing firewood and timber from early medieval sites in East England. First results from the anthracotypological analysis of oak charcoal residues, Quaternary International, vols. 593–594, 2021, pages 320–331, ISSN 1040–6182.

Whether it’s in a wood stove, a fire pit, or outdoors around the campground, you want a hot fire that heats up quickly. After all, that’s the number one reason for a fire, isn’t it? When you’re buying or preparing firewood for the burning season, you probably want to know – which firewood is the hottest?

Hardwood species like oak, maple, ash and most fruit trees give you the hottest burning and longest lasting coals for your buck. Hardwoods are denser than softwoods like pine, so they have more fuel to burn hotter and last longer.

For intense heat that will have you stepping back from the fire before you start sizzling like bacon in a skillet, you need a dry, dense wood that can hold a flame as hot as Mercury’s surface. Read on as we discuss 10 of the hottest burning firewoods and how long they will last on the fire!

Just to add – if you buy through Tree Journey’s links, we may earn affiliate commissions if you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Determination of “sharpness” in firewood

We were all taught from an early age that “fire is hot,” whether it was because your parents drilled it into your head or because they made you learn by making your own mistakes. Determining how hot firewood is requires a slightly more scientific approach.

We use BTUs or British Thermal Units to measure heat from firewood, heaters or other heat sources. A BTU is the amount of thermal energy required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree.

For firewood, heat output is measured by how many BTUs are put out per string of wood. A string is the standard measurement for a load of firewood and is usually sold by the string. In terms of measurement, one cord of wood is equivalent to 128 cubic feet of split, stacked firewood (a 4′ x 4′ x 8′ log stack).

The 10 hottest burning firewoods

We assume that all of these types of firewood have been properly seasoned prior to burning. Properly seasoned usually means that the moisture content in the wood is around 20% moisture or less.

The only way to properly determine if firewood is properly seasoned is to use a moisture meter. This wood moisture meter is an inexpensive way to test the magic number of 20%.

All you have to do is stick the pins into the wood and you’ll get a digital reading of the moisture content in firewood and even some other materials.

Remember that you should always check the moisture content of firewood before using it.

Without further ado, let’s dive into the million dollar question of what is the hottest burning firewood? Not all of these firewoods are available for purchase, but if you happen to come across them or can chop them down yourself, consider yourself lucky.

10. Sugar Maple

There are many varieties of maple trees, from silver maple and red maple to sugar maple and bigleaf maple, there are about 125 different varieties. For this list, we’ll focus on the sugar maple as it is one of the hottest burning maple varieties.

Sugar maple is the same maple tree that makes the amazing morning syrup you spread over pancakes, French toast, and waffles. Once the tree is no longer suitable for syrup production, it makes excellent firewood, especially since you can probably harvest an entire cord of wood from just one tree.

Maple firewood is a great all-round firewood. It may not be as dense or as hot as others like oak and hickory, but it makes up for that by being readily available in most areas and relatively quick to season.

You don’t want maple to sit around for too long because when it gets too old it can start giving off an odd smell when burned.

Season your sugar maple for about six months and you’ll have a great, hot burning, long lasting wood that also gives you great flavor.

Some people report smelling maple syrup as it burns. The only bad thing about making your house smell like maple syrup is that it makes you want pancakes for dinner.

Properly seasoned sugar maple firewood saves around 24 million BTUs per string of wood. To put that in context, let’s put it next to a ton of coal, which in many areas is burned to generate electricity for communities.

A ton of coal moves 26 million BTUs; Considering that a string of wood can weigh about a ton, sugar maple firewood makes an excellent heating source.

9. Mulberry

If you’ve ever seen these trees or grown them on your property, you probably groaned a little. These trees are notorious for dropping tons of almost tasteless berries that resemble elongated blackberries.

You don’t want to walk through them because the purple sap will stain your shoes and everything you step on. You also never want to park near a mulberry tree because not only will you be splashing tons of berries all over your car, but birds will flock to these trees to eat the ripe berries, leaving purple and white droppings everywhere.

The berries can be eaten but don’t have much flavor. You can also use it to make jams, wines, and desserts, which are better since you usually add some flavor to them.

Mulberry trees grow everywhere like weeds because of their massive seed dispersal, and they are fast-growing trees.

The birds help with this by depositing seeds wherever they leave their droppings. But if you cut down and split that tree, you’ll have great firewood!

The only disadvantage of mulberry wood is that it takes a long time to mature. After being cut and split, it must mature for at least a year. Mulberry trees contain a lot of moisture in the wood, so it takes longer to season.

Mulberry wood, once properly seasoned, burns hot and it will burn for a long time without much smoke. It will hold a hotbed of coals that will last several hours as it is one of the slowest burning forests. Mulberry wood, like most fruitwoods, gives off a pleasant scent when burned, making it great for fireplaces and campfires.

The second contender on our hottest fuelwood list, mulberry wood, comes in at 25.8 million BTUs per strand of wood.

8. Black Birch

There are many types of birch wood that make excellent firewood, but black birch sidesteps all others to come out on top. Black birch can be identified by dark brown bark and glossy, dark green, serrated leaves that turn bright yellow in fall.

Black birches are a very dense birch species. It contains long, thick fibers in the wood that make for a hot-burning and very durable firewood.

The black birch doesn’t take long to mature, less than a year, so theoretically you could cut, dry and burn it in the same year. This firewood does not emit much smoke, does not throw many sparks and produces a sweet smelling aroma when burned.

As far as heat goes, black birch packs about 26.8 million BTUs into a cord of wood.

7. Applewood

Another wonderfully smelling wood that also produces scorching heat is applewood. Yes, the same tree that produces the fruit touted to keep the doctor away is a great source of heat.

However, Applewood is a bit difficult to find as it is more lucrative as a fruit producer. However, if you happen to come across any, you should definitely grab them.

Maybe a neighbor’s apple tree needs to be felled, or an orchard is replacing some of their trees, if so, it never hurts to ask if you could take the trees yourself to make firewood.

Not only is it great for heating your home, but the aromatic smoke it produces adds a delicious smoky flavor to meat. Anyone Applewood Smoked Bacon, Barbecue, or Chicken? Yes, please! Fill up my plate.

But as firewood to heat your home, it’s great. It takes about a year to burn in, but you won’t regret waiting that long because it produces great aroma and hot flames, and applewood will burn for a long time.

In the case of a fire, it will probably take between 5 and 6 hours from start to finish!

To jump up a notch, apple firewood comes in at a muggy 27 million BTUs per string of firewood.

I am a HUGE fan of apple trees overall as they are one of the least smoke producing trees overall!

6. Hornbeam

Hornbeam wood is one of those that is usually hard to come by because it is great firewood that is usually cut down before it gets too big or old.

They are particularly difficult to identify as they look incredibly similar to other trees. However, one of the telltale characteristics of hornbeams is the wavy appearance of the branches.

The limbs look like they have cords running under smooth bark. The leaves look very similar to birch leaves, except the spikes are slightly wider.

For some, these trees can also be difficult to split. In order not to fret, you may need to split the hornbeam with a hydraulic splitter if you have one.

Hornbeam firewood also takes a long time to burn in. This is very volatile firewood. If you have experience with avocados and wait for them to ripen, you will notice certain properties similar to hornbeam wood.

The wood takes a year to dry out in prime conditions, but it’s best to wait two seasons to dry the wood, but once it’s dry enough to burn, the wood tends to mold and go bad relatively quickly .

Like a green avocado, you wait forever for it to ripen, but when it does you have a tiny window of use before it turns into a brown, unappetizing mush.

For all its fickle characteristics, hornbeam is a wonderfully hot, long-lasting firewood.

A hornbeam charcoal bed glows bright orange and retains heat for many hours. The wood produces a scorching 27.1 million BTUs per cord, so it will help keep your house nice and warm!

5. Beech

Halfway through the list we find the majestic Beech. These trees can grow over 100 feet tall. So if you come across these giants, you could end up with a lot of firewood from just a single tree.

Beech firewood has a faint, nutty aroma when burned, but it really shines because of the intense heat it generates.

This is due to the low moisture content of the wood when it is finally fully aged. Most woods naturally dry to around 20% moisture; while beech can have a moisture content of 12% to 17%.

It is this low level of moisture that makes this firewood such a “hothead”. The only problem with beech for firewood is that if you fell it yourself, you have to age it for two years to get that particularly low moisture content.

If you season it for a year and then burn beech wood, there will likely be a lot more smoke coming out of the firewood than if you season it for another year.

Beech wood is also difficult to split, so it’s better to use a hydraulic splitter than a hammer or splitting axe.

You’ll be rewarded for your patience with a wood that burns 27.5 million BTUs per string of wood. Burning this wood in your fireplace or wood stove allows you to build the fire at night and when you wake up in the morning you still have a warm bed of coals to start a new fire!

4. Hickory wood

Hickory is fuelwood that is often readily available in many areas, growing along the East Coast of the United States, Canada, and in the Midwest regions. Hickory is also popular for furniture, tool handles, and flooring because of its incredible strength.

Hickory trees also produce nuts that deer, squirrels, and even humans enjoy.

However, as firewood, hickory is extremely difficult to beat. It is one of the best firewoods you can find for its heat, longevity and availability. Hickory firewood also produces a pleasant aroma that is used in many charcoals or chips for barbecue smokers.

Splitting this super dense wood will be a chore because it is very hard. I’ve seen people ricochet off tree trunks with a sharp axe. After everything is split it takes about a year to burn, but then you have some of the longest lasting and hottest burning firewood you can find anywhere.

Hickory firewood doesn’t spit many sparks and produces very little smoke. A string of hickory firewood produces approximately 28.5 million BTUs of heat.

If you have some of these trees on your property or can find some to chop down, they will provide plenty of warmth for those bone cold winters.

Check out our full list of slowest burning firewoods if you want something that burns longer, not just hotter!

3. Black grasshopper

Next on our list we have the black locust. This tree is one of the fastest growing trees, which is rather unusual as it is still a very dense tree. Most fast-growing trees are softwoods like pines or other evergreen species.

In fact, black locust grows so fast that it is considered an invasive species in many areas. Simply cutting them off is usually not enough to keep them under control. Some people have resorted to herbicides to get rid of their black locusts.

The National Resources Conservation Service has this to say about the invasiveness of black locust; When black locust are introduced to an area, they cast a wide shade web that starves other sun-loving plants. These trees can become so dense that very little ground vegetation grows beneath them.

This can help you when looking for good firewood as neighbors or people involved with these trees will likely let you in and cut them down for them.

Although the black locust is so dense, it splits easily. You won’t struggle with a block all day. It only needs to be stored for a year before burning, and once it’s done you’ll have top quality firewood. I hear you say, “I can feel a ‘but’ coming,” and you’re right…

Black locust trees have many long, sharp thorns on their leafy branches. When dealing with this wood, you need to wear some protective gloves, such as Take these durable leather ranch and fencing gloves from Wells Lamont. These thick leather gloves protect you from the thorns of the black locust.

After dealing with the insidious thorns, you end up with firewood that yields a whopping 29.3 million BTUs per string of wood.

With the right equipment and an extra step or two of caution, black locust firewood is truly a difficult firewood to cut.

2. White Oak

Whatever type of oak you burn for firewood, you can’t go wrong. Oak firewood is, in my humble opinion, the king of firewood. It may not be as hot as the top firewood, or it may not smell sweet like applewood or cherry, but for everything else, oak is best all around.

Now we say white oak simply because it has been proven that white oak makes better firewood than red oak.

Overall, it’s also better than most other firewoods due to its natural abundance!

Other woods burn hotter, others burn longer, but not by much. What sets oak above all others is the availability, ease of splitting, low smoke, heat and longevity of an oak fire.

Oak firewood is a firewood that lasts all night. Once you have a good bed of coals, you can put on a few new logs, go to bed, and then wake up with embers that are still warm and easy to rekindle.

White oak takes a year to mature. It holds a lot of moisture and takes a full season to lose enough of that moisture to make a good fire. Wet or green wood usually smokes a lot, doesn’t give off as much heat, and is harder to burn than properly seasoned firewood.

White oak tops the list of oaks for heat output. Most oak gives off a ton of heat when burned, but white oak tops the list with a staggering 30.7 million BTUs of heat per strand of wood.

You can check our full list of the best oak trees for firewood here for more detailed information!

1. Osage Orange

Coming to the top of the hottest firewoods list we come to a competitor that isn’t widely available, it’s a hassle to split and doesn’t get very big, but if you want heat as hot as Hades toe, You can never go wrong with Osage Orange.

Another name for this tree is horse apple, but it is neither an orange nor an apple tree. It produces green, grapefruit-sized, wrinkled, fibrous fruits that produce a sticky, latex-like juice when cut or crushed.

Many people consider this tree a nuisance because of the large fruits that animals do not want to eat and end up everywhere. It has thorns, and when felled, the tree quickly sprouts many thorny offshoots and continues to grow.

Osage orange wood is so dense that if you’re chopping down a single tree, you’ll need to bring some extra, sharpened chains because you’re going to need them.

You should also split it as soon as possible, as the wood dries it becomes more difficult to split.

If you’ve been able to cut and split a few strings of oranges for firewood, let them season for about a year. Some say you can burn it after six months, but I’d let it wait a few more months just to be sure.

When burning this wood, it gets insanely hot. Some people have reported damage to their wood stoves when burning this firewood.

If you’re using Osage Orange for firewood, it’s best to supplement with something that doesn’t burn quite as hot as cherry. Otherwise burn it outside on a campfire to keep the chilly night away.

However, this firewood is definitely not firewood. Osage Orange is putting off a sparkling show of sparks akin to a Fourth of July celebration. All of the previous firewoods on this list very rarely sparkle or crackle, but the horse apple tree throws sparks constantly.

According to Nebraska Game and Parks, dried, seasoned Osage orange wood produced the highest amount of BTUs of any native tree. However, when the wood burns, it produces a significant amount of sparks.

Even if you season Osage Orange properly, it will leave a thick, sticky juice. That’s what causes the sparks. As the wood burns, the sap also burns and crackles, throwing off a constant show of sparks.

While Osage Orange Wood puts out a staggering 32.9 million BTUs of heat per wire, it also throws fireworks full of sparks.

Osage Orange is the unstoppable heat monster when it comes to firewood, but with all those sparks, you’re better off going with white oak firewood. See why I said oak is the king of firewood? Wink, wink.

That’s a wrap!

Whether you’re using the firewood in a wood stove, in your fireplace for extra warmth, or outside by a campfire, these firewoods are sure to keep you warm for hours.

Even with average firewood, you’re getting about 20 million BTUs per cord, which will surely keep your home warm. But if you’re looking for firewood that will fend off the winter chills like a champion prizefighter, you can’t go wrong with white oak, hickory, black locust, beech, or any other firewood on this list.

Good luck on your firewood journey!

references

Abbot P, Lowore J, Khofi C, & Werren M (1997). Fuelwood Quality Definition: A Comparison of Quantitative and Rapid Assessment Techniques for Evaluating Fuelwood Species from a South African Savannah. Biomass and Bioenergy, 12(6), 429-437.

Basham, Elizabeth. The West Virginia Friends of Firewood Network: Engaging with and researching the practices of firewood producers. West Virginia University, 2013.

Zou, L.Y., Zhang, W., & Atkiston, S. (2003). The characterization of emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from the burning of different fuelwood species in Australia. Pollution, 124(2), 283-289.

There are several factors to consider when choosing and burning firewood, such as: B. where you burn the wood, indoors, outdoors, in a fireplace, wood stove or campfire, whether it’s for looks and ambiance or warmth. What are the best firewoods to burn?

Dense woods like hickory, ash, and oak burn longer because there is more material, or fuel, per log. The duration of a fire correlates with the density of the wood because the denser it is, the longer it burns. Also beech, cherry, apple, robinia, maple, hawthorn and sycamore burn excellently.

Once you have a good bed of coals in the fireplace, orange, red and yellow flames rolling across the logs and a cold drink in hand, you won’t want to get up to feed the fire. In this article, we cover the 10 best firewoods to burn and how long they last. All of the information provided here assumes that you will be burning your wood in a fireplace, either as a secondary source of heat or to take advantage of the appeal and ambiance that a warm, glowing fire creates.

Just to add – if you buy through Tree Journey’s links, we may earn affiliate commissions if you make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Firewood is not just firewood

All wood burns, but not all wood is a good choice for firewood. If you have the wrong kind of firewood in your fireplace, you can get lots of smoke, pops and crackles while throwing dangerous sparks all over the place, or debris in your chimney that can catch fire.

If you start a fire with pine, spruce, or other softwoods, you may get a fast-starting, brightly burning fire, but soon all of the initial energy will burn away. Softwoods also often sizzle, pop, and smoke because of the high resin and thick sap in these tree species.

Throwing some sticky pine logs at your campfire when it’s getting low can be fun with the pops, crackles, and showers of sparks it likes to throw off. They quickly catch fire and burn quickly. They’re a great way to catch low-burning embers quickly, but they’re not a great choice for your indoor fireplace for all of the reasons above.

Hardwoods burn better than softwoods when placed in a fireplace or wood stove because they are denser, burn slower, and form a long-lasting charcoal bed. Most won’t shower you with searing sparks or smoke, either. However, this does not mean that all hardwoods are excellent for burning in your fireplace.

Take poplar for example. It’s still considered a hardwood, but when you burn it, it pops and crackles loudly. It also emits a suffocating smoke that could fill your home with dangerous carbon monoxide. While hardwoods are better, they’re not all the same when it comes to burning them.

Hardwoods vs. Softwoods

All trees are technically hard wood. I can definitely attest to that… I think I still have a lump on my forehead from when I was a little boy. While climbing (too fast) off a pine tree, I slipped and hit a branch with my noggin; I didn’t get the idea for a flux capacitor, but I saw stars.

Wood from trees is divided into two categories; hardwood and softwood.

Hardwood trees have broad leaves, no needles, and usually bear fruit or nuts. Oak, hickory, cherry, birch, aspen, tulip, and mulberry trees are examples of hardwood trees. The wood of these trees is dense, usually has a smaller annual ring pattern, and is “hard” compared to that of the conifer family.

Hardwoods are commonly used for furniture, flooring, tools, boats, musical instruments, and charcoal. I love the smell and taste of hickory smoked meat on the grill!

Softwood trees are from the conifer family, are less dense, usually have needles instead of broad leaves, and have resin ducts that transport sap and resin through the tree. Have you ever cut your own Christmas tree or bought a Christmas tree? If so, you’ve probably experienced the sticky, resinous sap that oozes from these trees.

Softwood is typically used in construction. Think of framing posts and beams in your attic. These are usually some type of pine coniferous wood.

As we’ve already discussed, softwood trees have resin ducts, which is one of the reasons softwoods don’t make good fuelwood. When the resins burn, they can produce a lot of smoke and also leave creosote deposits in chimneys that can cause chimney fires. Softwoods also burn quickly because they are not dense.

All firewood, hardwood or softwood, will repel some creosote that can stick to the sides of your chimney. However, softwoods generate a lot when burned. If you have a stove or fireplace in your home, have it checked and serviced regularly by a reputable chimney sweep company.

Sometimes it may be feasible to use softwood kindling to start your fire. A few small pine sprigs will quickly ignite and burn hot which is great for starting your hardwood fire but only burn properly seasoned hardwood afterwards.

Season firewood before using it

It is not advisable to fell an oak tree, split it, and then throw it in the chimney to be burned. It will have too much moisture in the wood to burn efficiently if you can get it to catch fire. Firewood must be seasoned or dried before it becomes good firewood.

You can season firewood by leaving it to Mother Nature or kiln drying, which takes less time but is usually more expensive. In any case, the wood must be dried to a maximum of 20% moisture in order to be seasoned firewood.

To ensure your wood is properly seasoned to a moisture content of 20% or less, you can use this inexpensive wood moisture meter. It has four scanning modes for different materials and measures the current temperature and moisture content of the material.

The EPA says in their article Best Wood Burning Practices: Test your firewood before burning it. Your wood burns best when the moisture content is less than 20 percent. A moisture meter can make checking a breeze.

The 10 best firewoods to burn

If you ask ten different people what the best firewood to burn is, you might get ten different answers. Some hardwoods can burn without seasoning, some take 2 to 3 years to harden, and others may be difficult to split or release more heat than others. Any of these factors can make for a top quality firewood, but this list is all about good, hard firewood and how long it burns.

It is also quite difficult to give an approximate time for how long a single log of firewood will burn. It depends on how much airflow there is, how hot the fire is, the size and thickness of the log, and so on.

So for the longevity of each wood species we look at the average density of the wood. The denser a hardwood, the longer it should burn, so this list of the 10 best firewoods is in descending order of wood density.

The USDA talks about firewood density in their article “Fuel Efficiency & Conservation – Firewood”. In this article, they support the claim that dense forests are the best fuelwoods. They deliver the most warmth compared to a lighter, less dense wood. Dense woods like hickory and oak rival the heat output of burning coal.

With that out of the way, here’s our list of the 10 best firewoods to burn and how long they will burn.

If you’re interested, you can read our full guide to the slowest burning firewoods here and bookmark it after this article!

1. Hickory burns the longest

Hickory is the densest on our hardwood list, burns hotter than oak and maple, and burns the longest on this list. You can start a fire with hickory, get a nice bed of coals going and keep it burning all night. In the morning you could still have a warm bed of coals to start another roaring fire in just minutes.

Another fantastic aspect of burning hickory firewood is the pleasant, smoky aroma it gives off. It burns clean so you don’t have to worry as much about creosote buildup in your chimney or worry about harmful smoke in your home.

It holds little moisture so you don’t have to season it for a long time. Hickory also tends to crackle pleasantly without sparking. It makes the fire more comfortable, but not as dangerous.

Overall, hickory firewood is the longest burning firewood. It also has a delightful smell when burned and heats well. If you can find hickory firewood, consider getting it for your next fire.

2. Oak burns almost as long as hickory

Oak Firewood is just behind Hickory and could be considered a tie for first place overall. It is very dense, generates a significant amount of heat while burning evenly for a long time. Oak is also widespread in most of America, so you can find it just about anywhere.

Oak can take a year or two to season well, but once it’s ready for firewood you’ll be hard pressed to find a better all-round wood in terms of heat, long lasting fire and the small amount of smoke produced when burning.

Especially when logging the two types of oak, white oak is a better firewood than red oak due to its non-porous nature. White Oak produces 29.1 BTUs, while Red Oak produces 24.6 BTUs – resulting in White Oak burning hotter and lasting longer!

Seasoned oak firewood is great for your fireplace, wood stove or hearth. It burns nice and clean and is a great choice for roasting marshmallows and making s’mores! Because it’s so widely available, you won’t have a problem finding this durable, reliable firewood for all your needs.

There are many types of oak wood, many of which are fantastic firewood options. For more information on the best choices, see our On article ‘Top 10 Oaks for Firewood Ranked’.

3. Beech wood burns hot

Compared to other hardwoods, beech wood can hardly be surpassed in terms of exceptional heat emission. It is great for wood stoves and when properly seasoned, most people report a nutty aroma when this wood burns.

Although beech wood is naturally dry, it still needs to be seasoned. Unfortunately for beech wood, for the absolute best firing results, it should be stored for at least a year, possibly two. Although this wood, once well seasoned, dries to an incredible 12% moisture content, compared to the 20% most woods dry to.

This extremely low moisture content allows this wood to burn much hotter, and the longer you store it, the less smoke it releases. It is not as dense as oak or hickory and therefore does not burn as long as those two types of wood.

However, with the extra heat it gives off, beech firewood is still an excellent choice as firewood. You probably won’t mind throwing an extra log on the fire for extra comfort.

4. Cherry wood smells amazing when burned

People love to burn cherry hardwood in their fireplaces because of the pleasant aroma this wood gives off. It’s one of the best smelling forests if you like the smell of a fireplace or campfire.

It’s still a very dense wood and burns for a decent time, but doesn’t burn as hot as the previous mentions in this list. It’s easy to split if you cut it yourself, but if you buy cherry wood it’ll probably cost you a little more than oak.

Seasoning cherry wood doesn’t take nearly as long either. You might be able to cut and split your cherry wood in early spring, then it should be ready to burn by late fall or winter.

Cherry wood crackles and sparkles a little more than average wood. So if you’re burning it in your fireplace, make sure you have a screen just in case

If it was up to me, and this is just an opinion, if I used cherry wood for firewood, I would mix my firewood. I would burn something more economical and neutral as a base for heat and coals like oak and then occasionally add a log or two of cherry wood for smell.

If you are looking for the pleasant scent, you can learn more about the scent of false cherry trees here.

5. Ash burns for a long time with little smoke

Next on the list is Ash. In terms of density, this one lands in the top middle of the stack and will burn for a long time. However, this wood has many other benefits, making it an excellent choice for your fireplace.

Some people will say that ash wood is their favorite wood. It splits well, is still hardwood, and has a neutral odor. It matures in about six months, so you can use it the same year it was cut and can even be burned green. I would only want to burn green wood of any kind outdoors to take extra precautions.

Due to its naturally low moisture content, ash does not produce much smoke at all, does not produce many sparks or pops, and burns with a neutral aroma. Some say ash firewood works best in a wood stove because of the heat it radiates, efficient combustion, and reduced smoke odor; for those who don’t love the smell of wood smoke. It is primarily available along the eastern side and north-central areas of the United States.

Ash is still a dense wood and will burn for a decent amount of time. When you add all the other benefits to this wood, it’s still an excellent source of heat and an enjoyable fireplace experience.

6. Applewood smells divine when burned

Applewood is another wood that gives off a sweet scent of smoky happiness when burned. Like cherry, when you burn apple hardwood you have a built in potpourri diffuser in your fireplace. Can you tell I like the smell of burning firewood?

Aside from the room-freshening scent, applewood is still a dense, slow-burning wood and creates a long-lasting bed of hot embers. It’s so dense that it can be difficult to get started.

This is where a good kindling made of soft wood comes into play to start the fire. However, once the applewood is burning, all you have to do is add a log or two as it burns down.

Applewood also burns very hot, slightly hotter than oak, and gives off very little smoke. It’s great when burned as a main or supplemental source of heat. The pleasant scent is also used to smoke meat; Applewood Smoked Bacon Anyone?

Applewood could match ash in terms of density and burning time. Its average density is only a hair less than ash, so both should burn for about the same time. Apple burns hotter than ash, but if you don’t want your house smelling like a smokehouse, then you’ll probably go for ash.

7. Black locust firewood is durable

Black locust is a fast-growing tree and is invasive in some areas because it can spring up so quickly. Despite being a fast-growing tree, the wood is still very dense and burns hotter than most other hardwood species.

When stored for a year, this firewood develops little smoke and has a neutral to mild aroma. It produces a moderate amount of sparks when burning so you would benefit from using a screen when burning black locust in an open fireplace.

One of the few downsides to handling black locust wood is that when you split the wood yourself you tend to get the long, sharp thorns of this species of tree. You will need thick gloves to handle it yourself, but otherwise robinia wood is an excellent, durable and very dense firewood.

8. Maple firewood flavors quickly

I know for myself that when I think of maple, I immediately think of pancakes soaked in maple syrup, not firewood. Nonetheless, maple wood is readily available everywhere and is an excellent source of firewood. It might not be as dense as others on this list, but maple wood provides good warmth and also smells like maple syrup when burning.

Maple is a wonderful choice for firewood for several reasons. It ripens quickly, you can cut it early in the season and then burn it that same winter. It burns relatively hot and lasts a long time.

Maple wood does not develop much smoke and is also almost spark-free.

If you heat your home with firewood, you may need to use a little more maple than you would for oak or beech. Although you could burn it in the same season as opposed to oak, it could still be a good option.

Maple is lower on the density scale but still a good choice for firewood, especially as these trees are fairly common, easy to cut, split and spice, not to mention the burnt wood fills your house with the smell of festive baking fulfilled goods.

9. Hawthorn is a very neutral firewood

Hawthorn is a great dense firewood and grows all over the world. However, it does have a few downsides, including fairly large thorns, and the trees grow small compared to most of the other trees on this list. Also, hawthorn trees are twisted and full of branches, making this wood quite difficult to split.

The benefits of burning this firewood make it a good choice for heating. Once this wood is split, it takes minimal time to season; about six months. It burns very hot for quite a long time and leaves little ash.

Hawthorn emits little smoke and sparks, nor does it have a great odor. It is another neutral smelling wood. That way your clothes won’t smell like you’ve spent the weekend camping when you go to work.

Of all the hardwoods out there, hawthorn is a decently dense hardwood that will give you plenty of burn time in your fireplace.

10. Sycamore firewood is smoky and has a short life

Finally we come to Sycamore, a very dense hardwood with some challenges. It’s probably the shortest-lived hardwood on our list. Sycamore starts off easy but burns down pretty quickly compared to the others here.

The sycamore is a species common throughout America, so you won’t have a hard time finding this firewood. However, once you find it, it takes a long time to flavor. It takes at least two years to remove enough moisture from the wood to make it a viable choice for firewood.

Due to the high moisture content of this wood, it can let off more smoke than our other firewoods and it sometimes throws some noticeable sparks.

Most people who use sycamore for firewood mix it with other, longer-burning woods that have a lower moisture content. Sycamore is easy to light and burns quickly, so mixed with hickory, beech or ash you get a fast-starting, hot-burning and long-lasting fire.

The definitive take on sycamore is to use it when you have to, and then mostly as an appetizer. Throw a log or two on your fire when it’s burned down to embers for a quick, intense flame display, then add something higher on the list for a long, slow burn.

This fire has burned out

There’s not much out there that can compare to the crackle of a fire. Watching the colorful yellow, red and blue flames flicker around the tree trunks while relaxing with friends and loved ones is hard to beat. So when you’re looking for firewood, you usually want something that’s easy to light and has a long burn time so you can enjoy the atmosphere of the open flame.

You don’t want to have to constantly get up and tend to the fire.

Now you have at least 10 good hardwood species to choose from and which ones will last the longest so you can enjoy the warmth longer. We hope this article has given you some insight and we look forward to hearing from you. Drop us a comment or questions below.

references

Robert Francis, Alexa Dufraisse, Strategies for collecting and managing firewood and timber from early medieval sites in East England. First results from the anthracotypological analysis of oak charcoal residues, Quaternary International, vols. 593–594, 2021, pages 320–331, ISSN 1040–6182.

Mani Ram Moktan, “Social and environmental impacts of commercial harvesting of oak trees for firewood in Bhutan,” Mountain Research and Development, 34(2), 139-146, (May 1, 2014)

Wassenberg M, Chiu HS, Guo W et al. Analysis of wood density profiles of tree trunks: incorporating vertical variations to optimize wood sampling strategies for density and biomass estimation. Trees 29, 551-561 (2015).

Chafe, Zoe, et al. “Heating residential buildings with wood and coal: health outcomes and policy options in Europe and North America.” (2015).

Consider these tips on the woods that burn best:

tip 1

Green wood does not burn well

The secret of a good fire, experts say, is wood that has been seasoned for more than a year. In the case of oak, you should age the wood for at least two years, sometimes longer. Much of the wood now for sale is actually green and will take another year to mature. This year’s wood is often intended for next year’s fires.

Seasoned wood burns better than fresh wood because it produces more heat and less creosote builds up in the chimney. Green – or unseasoned wood – is difficult to light and hard to keep burning. If your wood smolders and burns poorly on low heat, it’s probably green wood. This is because untreated wood contains a lot of liquid. Green firewood contains up to 25% moisture, which when burned can cause corrosion in the chimney.

tip 2

Seasoned wood has a look

You can tell whether wood has been deposited. On the outside, the wood will look gray and dusty from sitting around for a long time. But the inside is dry and lighter than the outside. New wood, on the other hand, looks fresh from the sawmill with the same color throughout.

If you can’t get your hands on seasoned wood, look for ash or fir. These forests burn better than many others while still quite green; although they all burn best when seasoned.

The secret to starting a fire quickly and easily lies in using a quick ignition and a steady burning starting fuel. Here’s how to start a fire in the wild by making your own tinder and kindling.

If you want to start a campfire quickly and easily, use tinder and kindling as your first fuels. Not only do they make the fire easier to light and burn, but they also create a solid foundation for a strong, long-burning fire. You can make tinder and kindling from many different materials, both natural and artificial.

How to start a fire in the wild: Tinder

The best tinder is made of light and airy materials that will burn quickly from a spark or ember. In a survival situation, it can be helpful to use several different types of material in a tinder bundle to increase the chances of the flame catching sparks.

Natural Tinder

You can find natural tinder in almost any environment. During the day, keep an eye out for items that might be good for Tinder. Watch out for dry, fibrous materials or anything light and fluffy. Dry grasses, pine needles, and dried seed heads work well.

Look for fine materials such as wood rot or sawdust from dead logs or trees. Keep an eye out for dried mushrooms and mosses, as well as sticky sap or pitch from evergreens.

Raid an empty nest. Look out for bird or rodent nests. These are usually made of perfect materials for Tinder, including down and feathers.

keep it dry

Good tinder material must be dry. In rainy or humid weather, look for materials that are protected from the worst of the weather, such as:

Even if the outside of a dead branch is wet, the inside should be dry enough to shred and use when you peel off the outer bark.

If everything is soggy, just take it with you. Damp tinder material can be placed in the pockets to dry, making it easier to light later.

Create Tinder Balls

Once you’ve gathered your materials, break or shred any large items into smaller pieces. They must be small enough to catch fire easily. Simply shred with your fingers, grind against rocks, or scrape into shavings with a knife.

Make a ball of tinder at least the size of a grapefruit, if not bigger. (If you’re new to building or out of matches, it can be helpful to have a second tinder ball on hand in case the first burns out before you can start lighting.)

Create a kind of nest for your tinder. Loose, dry grass forms a good basis. Make an indentation in the middle, then put the other materials in the nest and mix the tinder materials.

A variety of different types of tinder increase the chance of catching a flame, but always prioritize the finest materials. Use your Firestarter to direct each spark or ember towards the center of the tinder bundle.

making tinder at home

Artificial objects can also be effective tinder materials. Almost anything flammable will work.

Cloth or cloth fibers burn easily. If your hem comes undone, break off the string and add it to your mix. Check your pockets. Bag lint and dryer lint work well too.

If you are in need, you can use fabric scraps. This works well with denim or heavier materials. Simply take a sharp knife and gently scrape the blade across the fabric, shaving off a thin layer of fiber. However, if you do this too many times in the same spot, you’ll break up the weave and end up with holes in the fabric (which may not become apparent until they dissipate in the wash).

Other combustible items include pieces of steel wool, cotton balls, and tampons.

Homemade firelighters are easy to make with minimal equipment. They are usually made from normal household items and can be created with or without an accelerant.

How to start a fire in the wild: Lighting

Kindling is bigger than tinder. They are usually small sticks and branches ranging in size from toothpicks to the width of a finger.

Look for the driest wood you can find. If it bends instead of breaking, the wood may be too green and difficult to burn. Look for something that breaks easily.

Kindling should be small enough to burn easily, but large enough to create a firm bed of coals. This bed of coal forms the basis of your fire.

Like Tinder, collect more than you think you will need. Kindling burns quickly and it’s nice to have extra on hand in case your fire burns out before you can get it burning steadily.

spring bars

Try using some feather sticks to make your kindling easier to catch fire. They are easy to craft, catch fire quickly, and burn evenly once started.

Make spring sticks out of thick, dry twigs. To make a feather stick, first peel the bark from the branch. Shave the chopstick to make curls, but stop before you reach the end and still let the curl cling to the branch.

Make several of these around the wand, adding more curls in layers and staggering them down the length of the wand. These catch fire easily and make great kindling.

How to start a fire in the wild: add more fuel

Do not rush to add heavier fuel. Burn enough kindling to create a nice bed of coals. Not only does this help burn the larger fuel, but it also helps you to rekindle the fire when it burns out. It’s much easier to start a fire from scratch with hot coals than to start from scratch with tinder.

Starting a strong fire is easy with tinder and kindling. Always be on the lookout for items that make good tinder and collect them when you find them.

Use both naturally found items and man-made items to create a tinder bundle, and make sure you have enough good quality kindling on Hart to create a good bed of coals. From there you can quickly and easily create any type of campfire you desire.

This post was last updated on May 11, 2021

Wet, green wood does not burn well. The best way to get the most out of your firewood is to ensure it is well seasoned and dry before burning.

Please read: This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose, or prevent any disease. We encourage you to make your own health decisions in consultation with a qualified health professional. This post contains affiliate links, which means we receive a commission from the sales at no additional cost to you. Please read our disclosure statement

Knowing how to dry firewood quickly will ensure you get the most heat out of your firewood.

We love our wood stove, it heats our house, we cook on it and it heats our hot water in the winter months. That means fewer utility bills and fewer problems when the grid goes out.

However, this means that we need a good supply of dry firewood every winter.

There are good and bad ways to get your firewood ready to burn. Below I’m going to share with you the best tips I have to help you get your firewood dry super fast.

Why do you have to burn dry wood?

Freshly cut wood has a moisture content of around 30-50%. Wood left in damp conditions can be even wetter.

There’s a difference between sap-wet (or green) and water-wet. Some woods have very combustible sap and burn well green – pine and gorse are two such examples.

Water-soaked wood consumes all of the fire’s heat to dry out and you’ll be left with a smoky, cold fire that’s frustrating to manage.

If you’ve had firewood that is wet and sizzling, rather than burning dry and clean, you’ll begin to understand the importance of properly seasoning your firewood.

What is dry or well-seasoned firewood?

Dry, seasoned wood was exposed to air and sun and allowed to dry. Ideally, your firewood should have 15-20% moisture or less.

If your firewood has a moisture content of more than 20%, the fire will use most of its energy drying the wood and not generating heat!

What is the danger of burning wet wood?

Burning wet firewood leaves a cold room, lots of smoke, and lots of sticky creosote in your chimney that can (and will) cause a chimney fire.

You don’t have to take that risk though, as you will see below, with these steps it’s easy to turn fresh wood or wet wood into dry wood quickly and easily.

Many wood species can be seasoned in 6-12 weeks with proper drying.

RELATED POST: What is the Best Firewood?

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What about kiln dried wood?

Kiln dried wood is exactly what it sounds like, it is when you take green or damp wood and dry it in a kiln to a specific moisture level. It is uncommon to buy kiln dried firewood as kiln drying uses a lot of energy and is therefore usually reserved for drying lumber.

However, you can use kiln dried wood in your wood stove or fire if you have access to dry wood chunks.

Kiln dried wood provides wood with a very low moisture content that is perfect for lighting in your wood stove or fireplace. It ignites very quickly and burns hot.

10 Hacks to Dry Firewood Super Fast: How to Season Firewood Fast

1. Make your wood to the right length

Cut your logs to the length that best fits the fire in which you intend to burn them.

Ideally, the wood takes up most of the length to be efficient without too much room at either end while not having to pinch it or leave it at an awkward angle to close the door.

Trim it right the first time and you don’t need to trim it again before using it. You can make a mark on the bar of your chainsaw to remind you how long the wood should be when you cut it into rings.

RELATED POST : Making a fire without a newspaper

2. Splitting wood

Wood split along the grain dries up to 15 times faster than wood surrounded by bark. The more split surfaces, the faster the wood dries.

Even under perfect drying conditions, unsplit wood can stay green and wet for a whole summer!

Try splitting wood into smaller pieces. Wood 10cm/4″ in diameter (above gauge block) burns most efficiently, so aim for that when you can.

3. Leave lots of air gaps

When stacking your wood, make sure there is enough room for air to flow in and around each piece.

Tightly stacked stacks may look prettier, but they’re far less efficient at actually seasoning firewood.

If you can, make the sides of your log shed slatted or half-open to let in plenty of air.

RELATED POST: Cooking on a Wood Stove

4. Cover with a roof

Piling your unseasoned wood outside in the sun and wind will certainly help it dry faster, but it will need a lid to keep out the rain once it’s about to start drying.

Don’t completely wrap your stack in water, as covering the entire stack with a tarp can double the time it takes to dry wood.

If it’s a brief rainstorm, by all means throw a tarp over it, but if it’s longer than a day or two, consider putting some boards or pallets over the wood under the tarp or roof to make room airflow and minimize condensation.

5. Let the sun in

Let the sun and wind reach your woodpile, the more sides of the wood that can be reached, the faster your firewood will mature.

Your freshly cut wood can be exposed to the wind and sun for a few months in a roughly built firewood stack before stacking to speed up drying time. Stacking firewood directly into a covered and enclosed log shed can add 12 months or more to the drying time.

6. Leave your wood exposed to the elements for the summer

Believe it or not, rain will actually help your wood season. Rain helps flush out sap that keeps the wood green.

Leave your woodpile uncovered in the summer and place it under a cover in the fall/fall to allow the last of the moisture to dry before the cold weather sets in.

7. Don’t leave it too late to season your firewood

Ideally, this spring or early summer you should harvest or buy wood for the next winter. Fall/fall is really too late to do any useful drying as the air is too humid for the wood to dry properly.

Do not underestimate the duration of the drying process.

Even drying wood in a covered shed in the fall is unlikely to get below 30% moisture content.

8. Keep your woodpile small

Short and narrow piles of wood dry much faster than a thick and wide pile of solid wood. Stack firewood in a row off the ground so the sun and wind can more easily draw moisture out of the cut ends.

9. Stack your firewood away from walls

Wood stacked outdoors away from walls, buildings or trees dries the fastest.

Leaving the wood outside for the summer and later stacking it in the woodshed once it is seasoned is the best of both worlds.

10. Stack firewood off the ground

Wood left on the dirt or grass will be difficult to dry. Place the wood pile on concrete or gravel, or elevate it with some boards or pallets to allow air to circulate underneath the pile as well.

You can get pre-made firewood racks that will make your stack look pretty. Or, as I prefer, you can get these handy little brackets that you can use to build your own firewood rack as big as you need it.

Wood that is kept moist is more likely to rot than dry, not to mention the woodlice and other bugs that will start eating it if you leave it on the ground.

Which types of firewood dry the fastest?

Softwoods dry much faster than most hardwoods. However, they also burn much faster and at a lower temperature.

With this in mind, it’s best to find a mix of soft and hard woods to burn in your log fire.

Using a good moisture meter will help you check the moisture content of your logs.

Woods like pine and willow dry the quickest, but you’ll need plenty of them to keep you warm through a long winter.

Should You Use a Dehumidifier to Dry Firewood?

If you’re in trouble and need to dry your firewood really fast, your option is to bring it indoors and run a dehumidifier to suck out some of the moisture.

This will speed up the drying time of the wood, but is best used to remove surface rain from otherwise well-seasoned wood.

Be sure to stack your stack with enough air gaps, and don’t operate your dehumidifier outdoors or in a place where the plug can get wet.

Can you dry damp wood in the oven?

Yes, if your firewood is just a little damp or your kindling bag was accidentally left out in the rain, you can dry it in a low oven. Be careful putting firewood in an open flame stove, we don’t want to burn your house down.

Set your oven as low as possible and if it has a fan function, use it to speed up the drying process.

How do I know my firewood is dry?

There are a few ways to tell if your firewood is seasoned well. Different types of wood require different amounts of time.

In general, harder, hotter-burning woods like rubber or oak take longer to season than softer, cooler-burning woods like white pine.

Well-seasoned wood will feel lighter to the touch than wet wood and will have some long cracks developing across the grain. When you bang two well-seasoned pieces of wood together, they produce a higher, clearer sound. If you slam two pieces of wet wood together, you get a very dull “bang”. The cut ends feel warm and dry as opposed to being cold and damp when freshly cut. Place a small piece of firewood in the coals of a scorching hot fire – wet wood sizzles and steams, dry wood ignites within a minute. The most reliable way to check the moisture content of your firewood is to invest in a moisture meter. This tells you exactly how dry your firewood actually is.

If you’re planning on starting a wood fire or wood stove this winter, be sure to follow these instructions to ensure you have plenty of dry wood and kindling for your fire. Unseasoned wood gives you bad heat from the fire and can cause terrible creosote buildup.

For peace of mind, I suggest you organize your green wood nice and early to give it enough time to burn, and get a moisture meter so you know you’re drying firewood enough.

If you like tips on frugal living, self-sufficiency and consuming less, sign up for our newsletter below. I would be happy to have you!

This is one of the questions that smokers and grill masters constantly discuss. If you want to use wood for smoking, does it matter whether the bark is still attached to it or not?

Some claim that it doesn’t matter that the bark imparts no off-flavors at all. Others report a slightly bitter taste when the food has been smoked with bark wood. There is also an intermediate group that peels off the bark when it is easy to remove or is already peeling but otherwise leaves it alone. Finally, there are some who say they’ve never thought about it either way.

In short, it’s a matter of personal taste and convenience – at least mostly. In some cases, leaving the bark on can be risky. That’s because bark can absorb and retain dangerous chemicals as well as other pollutants. The contact doesn’t have to be new, either: even when chemical use has ceased, nearby tree bark can still contain high concentrations of residue built up by airborne particles. Therefore, if you plan to use wood for smoking and are unsure where it came from, or you know the trees were near a facility that uses a lot of chemicals, it’s a good idea to buy the wood remove bark before use.

Are there any other factors to consider when deciding whether or not to remove the bark? As mentioned above, personal taste can also play a role. Some people claim that the rind can impart a slightly bitter taste to food, while others say they don’t notice any difference at all. If the bark comes off easily, be sure to remove it. If it’s difficult to remove and you trust the wood source, you might want to leave it on just to see if you can taste the difference or not.

Finally, there are also some concerns about temperature control. Barkwood is known to cause more flare-ups than skinned wood due to the volatile texture of the bark itself. This is potentially detrimental to the finished product, as smoked foods taste best when the temperature remains constant throughout the long process. While minor flare-ups aren’t a cause for concern, it’s something to consider, especially if the bark has grown heavily due to moss or lichen.

“To bark or not to bark?” is just one of many questions in the ongoing debate about how to make the best smoked meat. Have fun experimenting!

Get the best types of firewood for smoking from the best firewood supplier in the area. Call Wisconsin Firewood at 414-769-9663 and we’ll point you in the right direction. We’re easy to find on the south side of Milwaukee.

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Much to the chagrin of Smokey the Bear, we lit quite a bit this week. But don’t worry, it was all Leave No Trace friendly.

We tested 10 of the best firelighters in the field and ranked them on their ease of use, compactness, and the size and strength of their spark. We found the UST Strikeforce to be the best overall for its reliability and ease of use, although there are many good options.

Read on for our full reviews. Or, if you’re interested in alternative ways to start a campfire, check out our articles on the best lighters, stormproof matches, and waterproof matches for backpacking.

Top Pick: UST Strikeforce

The UST Strikeforce is the bulkiest and one of the heaviest launchers we’ve tested. Why is it our top pick?

While certainly not for microlights, the Strikeforce is incredibly easy to use and makes the most of space.

Unsurpassed reliability aside, the flint-based starter is housed in a rugged, watertight case. The case doubles as a handy storage compartment for Tinder and comes with a lanyard.

Although flint based, the staff’s length and width provides plenty of large, happy sparks that ensure rapid alternating fire. The fires we lit with the Strikeforce were consistently instantaneous, making it a great tool for both beginners and emergency situations.

Best One-Handed Starter: UST Blastmatch

“Why,” I snorted, “are these one-handed things so popular? Are people really that tight on cash?”

Then I thought back to the infamous Aron Ralston, the author and experiencer of 127 Hours, and shrugged. Yes, I bet Ralston would have liked a good one-handed fire starter.

If you also want a good one-handed fire starter, look no further than the UST Blastmatch. It’s the best of its kind.

The Blastmatch is extremely effective, comfortable and easy to use. It doesn’t require a hard surface to work. Just find a heavy log, build your tinder, and plunge straight into your future fire den for a quick and easy heating machine. It also folds back on itself for easy, watertight storage. Handy and simple enough.

Best Igniter: Survival Igniter

Oh man! This baby lights up like a Christmas tree.

The Survival looks elegant with its natural, handcrafted handle and Ferrocerium staff. Without being a chemist this fire starter convinced me that the quality of ferrocerium can vary widely and the ferrocerium in this wand is top notch.

Of the ten fire starters we tested, four rods reported being made of ferrocerium. Three didn’t shine that well. The Survival, on the other hand, put out some of the longest, brightest, and most consistent sparks despite being comparable in size to the smaller Sparkforce, Bear Grylls, and Light My Fire lighters.

The brand claimed to produce “a shower of sparks from molten metal,” and they delivered.

Survival is also a multi-tool of sorts that comes with a bottle opener, an Allen key, a map scale, a ruler, and both a scraper and a serrated edge for creating sparks. Not to mention the lanyard is long enough to wear as a necklace, which is pretty fun. Of all the launchers that included accessories like this, this one was my favorite.

Best value for money: Survival Spark Magnesium Survival Fire Starter

The Survival Spark is a small fire starter multi-tool with some additional handy gadgets.

It lights up well and works exactly as promised – all at a fraction of the price of most others. With the addition of a compass and whistle, this is a great value addition to any emergency kit.

The only claim that really makes me snort is that this fire starter is “windproof”.

To get a good crackle on a magnesium starter you need to cut off a little of the outer coating and make a bunch of shavings. Magnesium filings are obviously lighter than a feather and can be blown away with the slightest touch of your hand. It’s not easy to use in windy conditions, but it’s not a flashy fire starter either.

Reviews of the 6 other fire starters we tested

There are very few things I dislike about the UST Sparkforce, Bear Grylls, and Light My Fire fire starters. They just couldn’t keep up with the competition. That being said, the issues I have with the nanoSTRIKER, Sparkie, and Coghlan are definite deal breakers.

The UST Sparkforce is a mini version of our top pick, the Strikeforce. It’s effective, and while the boxy design is far from ergonomic, you won’t be using it long enough to notice.

This is a quick starter that can start fires just as fast as its big brother. As with the Strikeforce, the removable cap can hold some tinder and the case itself snaps shut for easy portability.

While it doesn’t have versatile devices to match, at 1 ounce this would be a simple, lightweight edition for your backpack.

You might expect a celebrity endorsed product to fall short compared to the big dogs, but TV survivalist Bear Grylls has gambled its money with this easy-to-use, beginner-friendly rod and striker.

The sides have been painted with helpful distress graphics in case of an emergency and the rubber grip makes it easy to hold in hand – an ideal feature for the practicing survivalist. The wand is made of ferrocerium and will produce a healthy dose of sparks when used correctly.

I would recommend this starter for the beginner or as a holiday gift for the camper who already has everything.

One of the few fire starters that can boast of ergonomics, as its uplifting quality is admittedly not the most comfortable to hold.

Nevertheless, the FireSteel with its ferrocerium staff and steel club is in the medium quality range. Although I can’t attest to it, the FireSteel claims to last 12,000 hits. That’s 4,000 more than the Bear Grylls fire starter, which might be plausible given its longer pole.

If you’re having a hard time deciding between the Bear Grylls and the FireSteel due to their similarities in every way, including price, consider that the FireSteel may have a longer lifespan. A whistle is also included.

The ultimate keychain companion, the nanoSTRIKER. Its tiny size makes it an easy addition to your bag when things get tight.

But its high price is definitely something to laugh about, especially since its small size equates to difficult use and a shorter lifespan. Surprisingly, despite its size, it’s not even the lightest forward we’ve tested.

While the nanoSTRIKER is cute and will ultimately fly the sparks, I don’t recommend it unless you’re looking for a base for your car keys or a good gift for a survivalist.

Imagine the UST Blastmatch. Now remove all unnecessary weight, gut it and make it as light as possible without completely wiping out functionality.

You now have the UST Sparkie.

Although the Blastmatch is a much better fire starter than the Sparkie due to its size and the length of its staff. The Sparkie is a one-handed wonder that requires either a) a hard surface or b) two hands.

I understand the concept and am extremely impressed with the 0.8 ounce weight, but the usability and functionality fell short on this one and I cannot recommend it. I would much prefer a simple two-piece forward.

I do not recommend this striker to anyone unless you are on a budget and this is the cheapest option you can find.

Technically it works, but the Coghlan’s Flint Striker is small and difficult to handle. I really had to dig into the outer coating to even get an initial spark, with about 20 of the first hits yielding nothing.

That being said, it seemed to be doing better after it broke down a bit. The shot requires a bit of finesse and is best maneuvered as a switch rather than a swinging motion. Compared to all other dummy-proof strikers, this one was the hardest for me.

How to choose the best fire starter for your needs

When choosing a fire starter, first consider your skill level, how and why you intend to use it, as well as the general specifications and composition of your different options.

skill level

You may be reading this article because you are looking to buy your very first fire starter. If so, you want something beginner-friendly that you can practice on for a long time and that’s really reliable. That’s why the Strikeforce won in our tests. It’s easy to use and effective regardless of your skill level.

weight

If you’re a man (or woman) after my heart and really just want to lose weight and size, go for the small stuff. The mere thought of the 3.7-ounce Strikeforce, reliable as it may be, can make you shut up. Instead, you can opt for the nanoSTRIKER or wear the survival as a necklace to lighten your luggage.

But if you’re really lightweight, do you even need a forward? or just use the fuel from your jetboil for an emergency light?

If emergency situations and not weight are your primary concern, get something that actually works in panic mode. This 0.8-ounce striker sounds good for now, but won’t be as easy to handle under pressure. In these circumstances, prescribe “better safe than sorry” and rely on reliability.

Magnesium vs Flint vs Ferrocerium

A quick lesson:

Ferrocerium is a pyrophoric alloy containing metals such as iron, magnesium, lanthanum and cerium. It’s a firecracker on a stick.

In comparison, flint and steel starters naturally emit fewer and smaller sparks.

Magnesium needs a bunch of shavings to really get light, which can be difficult if not impossible in windy conditions.

Keep in mind that of the ten starters we tested, the top four use three different materials. In short, all materials work. Don’t be intimidated or impressed by the specs. Just because ferrocerium glows brighter doesn’t always mean it’s a higher quality starter.

There is also a lot of design involved in the production of a high-quality striker. Consider the size and comfort of the grip and the length and thickness of the bar.

As we tested

Cotton balls, alcohol and ferrocerium create a pyromaniac’s dream. We have put these fire starters to the test with rigorous, repeated use and wear.

cotton ball test

First, let’s make sure these babies actually work. What better way to start a flame than dosing alcohol on a cotton ball? This quick and easy way to see how each launcher performs allowed us to get a good feel for their usability and functionality.

At the same time, we made a preliminary measurement and comparison of spark generation. How big, bright and far do sparks fly from each baton?

spark test

As we mentioned before, Ferrocerium is an alloy sparkler that produces firework-quality shavings. Magnesium produces chips in the same way, but with fewer sparks. Flint works very differently.

When appropriate, we set up razor piles to create and judge fireworks. We turned the sparks into tinder and found out how different guys handle our flames.

Every Day Carry (EDC) test

I’m primarily a backpacker, so EDC is important to me. How convenient is it to lug around a bulky or heavy lighter? Depending on your needs, probably not much.

We spent time lugging each of the fire starters around, putting them in different bags, attaching them to keychains, and living with them as if we were a potential new pet.

You will be surprised how important this can be. You may love this 8-inch dream starter on first use, but once your hiking backpack has swollen with other gear and it’s the last piece to stuff in, your thoughts change very quickly.

From dryer lint to fluffy cotton balls, it’s easy to make your own lighters.

When it’s been pouring rain for several days and you’re dying to get the campfire going, it can be extremely comforting to have a good fire starter to help get things going.

Yes, there’s plenty of natural bush material to start your fire – birch bark, dried grass, cattail fluff and gum from a balsam tree are some of the best – but having homemade reserves in your backpack and always available can be an added bonus. Even if you don’t make them at home, you also always have a lot of flammable materials in your backpack.

When you are in a hurry and don’t feel like doing things at home. You can buy some Survival Tinder dirt cheap by clicking here.

Or shop one of our favorite fire starters HERE.

If you don’t always want to carry matches or a lighter with you, grab one of our Free Fire Starter Paracord Bracelets while we still have supplies.

Dryer Lint & Egg Cartons

The classic homemade fire starter is a wad of dryer lint placed in each empty storage compartment of a cardboard egg carton with melted wax, or better yet, melted paraffin wax poured over it. It’s an easy project and brings back days of crafting in public school. The main trick, however, is to melt the wax without burning down the house or ruining your good saucepan. Wax or paraffin wax is highly flammable, so don’t just toss a cube of it in a saucepan and heat it over the stovetop. To slow the melting rate and reduce the chance of burning, make a double burner by placing the pot of wax over another pot of water. The boiling water will melt the wax much more slowly and safely. And you might want to use an old coffee pot instead of a saucepan to melt the wax in it. Melted wax makes a real mess to clean up. If you don’t want to spend the money on paraffin, just collect all the half-burnt candles around the house (or go to a bargain shop). Sawdust, shredded paper, or even cut up egg carton lids work well as filler. Also, try dipping rolled-up newspaper tied together with string (don’t use nylon string) or pine cones into the wax to make firestarters.

Cotton balls are my favorite. They are lightweight and if petroleum jelly is incorporated into the bullet it becomes highly flammable. I’ve even dipped them in paraffin wax or even melted petroleum jelly and kept them in my backpack in a ziploc bag. If you’re traveling and don’t have cotton balls or petroleum jelly but do have Q-tips and lip balm, try these together.

Squeeze a good amount of hand sanitizer onto the wood and it’ll burn long enough to dry things out. However, make sure that the product you use contains alcohol. Some companies are now making alcohol-free sanitizers, and that’s not going to work.

Charcoal in an egg carton

Place a piece of charcoal in each section of the cardboard egg carton. Light the box – you might want to squeeze hand sanitizer or bug repellent on it first to get it going.

Waxed Paper & Dyer’s Fluff

Wax paper burns fantastic on its own, but you can also wrap dryer lint or sawdust on paper by twisting both ends of the paper to hold the contents. Remember, it may look like a dork – but it definitely won’t get you high.

crisps

The greasy the better when choosing the snack chip that burns the best. But believe me, they burn. Pringles Hot and Spicy, Doritos Spicy Nachos, and Fritos Corn Chips are my choices. And once the fire is burning, it’s snack time.

Yes, one more thing you can do with duct tape. Use it as a fire starter. It is highly flammable and burns for a good time. I’ll spray on bug repellent or squeeze some hand sanitizer on it just to get things going.

It’s probably the most toxic fire starter on the list, but it’s still effective. If your bike goes flat, keep it and cut it into strips. Just don’t breathe the fumes if they’re ignited.

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Written by Scott Einsmann Updated 4/11/2022 3:16 PM

I love making fire, but I don’t always want to go to the trouble of making a feather stick or collecting birch bark. This is where fire starters come into play. They’re like pressing the simple button to start fire, but they’re not all created equal. The best firelighters are easy to light and stay lit to ignite your kindling.

To help you find the best fire starter, I ranked the top brands on the market in a series of tests. I tested each fire starter to determine burn time, water resistance, wind resistance, and ease of lighting. The following fire starters are the best of the best for various applications. The burn time and waterproof rating in the “Key Features” section of each review are based on my test, not the stated time or rating. Here are my top picks:

Best Fire Starter: Pyro Putty

main features

Burn time: 8 minutes

Stays lit in strong winds

Waterproof

Why it made the cut

Phone Skope’s Pyro Putty is waterproof, easy to light, glows even in inclement weather and burns for a long time.

advantages

Easy to carry in a backpack or survival kit

Easy to light

Long burn time

weatherproof

Disadvantages

Slow light when wet

Not quite natural

Product description

The Phone Skope Pyro Putty is a well thought out fire starter with more uses than just starting fires. If your tent leaks, you can rub Pyro Putty on the area to waterproof it. It is available in different formulas optimized for different seasons. Pyro Putty makes a cold and warm weather putty as well as an all-natural and ultra-lightweight version. I tested the warm weather Pyro Putty on a sunny 80 degree day.

The pyro putty I tested came in individually wrapped packages with a small amount of putty in each package. For the first test, I took the dough out of the pack, lit it with a lighter and started my stopwatch. It produced a good sized flame for five minutes and then started to go out. At 8 minutes the flame went out. That’s a respectable burn time for only 0.1 ounce of material. It was also extremely easy to light, taking less than a second to catch fire.

Pyro Putty will start a fire in all conditions and is ideal for camping or backpacking. Scott Einsman

For the waterproof test, I took the putty out of its waterproof packaging and submerged it for 7 minutes. Once immersed, the Pyro Putty was slow to ignite and did not burn as hot as it had fully dried. The good thing is that the waterproof packaging would protect the putty from such a long exposure to water. In my high wind test, the Pyro Putty stayed lit with a leaf blower simulating a high wind. So if you’re trying to start a fire when the rain is blowing sideways, Pyro Putty is a great choice.

Pyro Putty is an all round solution to your fire starting needs. It works well in a survival kit, bug out bag, campfire, and fireplace. The only downside to the version I tested is that it’s not a natural fire starter, but Pyro Putty has an all-natural formula available.

Best Fire Starter for Survival: FireFlame

main features

Burn time: 5 minutes

Waterproof

Why it made the cut

This is a fire starter that will ignite during a rainstorm and after it is fully submerged. It is also lit with either a lighter, a match, or a ferrous stick.

advantages

Easy to carry in a backpack or survival kit

Lights up easily wet or dry

natural materials

Disadvantages

Breaks apart

Product description

The FireFlame fire starter is a completely waterproof paraffin wax fire starter. It contains no harsh chemicals, which is great for starting a cooking fire. It’s also lightweight and comes individually wrapped in plastic. In my test it burned for five minutes with a good sized flame to start a fire.

In the waterproof test when I got her out of the water she was completely unimpressed. It burned just as hot and just as long as it dried. It was also just as easy to glow wet or dry. It didn’t fare as well in the high wind test, but it fared far better than all other fire starters in the waterproof test. Given how easy it is to light wet or dry and being lightweight, I would recommend it as my choice for a survival kit.

Best Fire Starter for Camping: Superior Trading Co Light a Fire

main features

Burn time: 14 minutes

All natural

Great performance in the wind test

Why it made the cut

Light a Fire is a natural fire starter that offers a long burn time to get even the most stubborn fires going.

advantages

Long burn time

Big Flame

Disadvantages

Not a good option for a backpack

Not waterproof

Product description

In testing, the Light a Fire stood head and shoulders above the rest in the high wind and burn duration tests. It burned longer – with a huge flame – than the other firelighters. It stayed lit even in strong winds. With all the good things comes the downside that it didn’t like getting wet. It struggled to light and remained unlit after being submerged in the water.

Its design is not suitable to be carried in a backpack. But the Light a Fire is an excellent choice to keep at home, in a cabin, or when car camping. With its long burning time and wind resistance, it will start a blazing fire for you under the conditions you want to enjoy a campfire.

Best for the fireplace: Midwest Heart

main features

Burn time: 11 minutes

Naturally

Flat design is easy to store

Why it made the cut

The Midwest Hearth’s long burn time and natural materials make it a great option for your fireplace or campfire.

advantages

Easy to light

Safe to use for cooking fires

Disadvantages

Not waterproof

Product description

The Midwest Hearth Fire Starter resembles a thick piece of cardboard. But don’t let the appearance of the pedestrians fool you – these little flat squares make excellent fire starters. In the burn time test, it lasted 11 minutes, which is enough time to get all but the most stubborn fires blazing. It is not waterproof and became soaked with water like cardboard after being submerged for 7 minutes. It didn’t fare well in the wind test either. But my favorite feature of the Midwest Hearth is that its low-profile design and mess-free construction make it ideal for home storage. This combined with its natural materials and long burn time makes it my top choice for a fireplace lighter.

Best Natural Fire Starter: Eco-Stix Fatwood

main features

Burn time: 6 minutes

natural wood

Why it made the cut

Fatwood is a classic natural fire starter that can be harvested or purchased. The high resin content in fatwood makes it easily hot and easily combustible.

advantages

Consistent

Acts as an igniter and fire starter

Disadvantages

Takes longer to light than other lighters

Product description

Fatwood is obtained from the heartwood of dead pine trees. It is naturally rich in resins that make it easy to catch fire and burn even when wet. In the burning time test, a piece of Fatwood burned for 6 minutes. When wet it took longer to light – but once lit it burned well. I think it’s best to use several pieces of fatwood as a kindling and fire starter all in one. With a normal lighter, the wood ignites in a few seconds. If you want to make it really easy to start a fire, combine the fatwood pieces with any of the other camping fire starters on this list.

Best Ferro Rod: Exotac fireROD

main features

Tinder Capsule

Waterproof

Milled aluminum body

5/16 inch diameter ferro rod

Why it made the cut

The Exotac FireRod sparks better than any other fire rod I’ve tested and is beautifully finished.

advantages

Ferro Rod is easy to replace

Easily light tinder

Ergonomic handle

Disadvantages

Price

Product description

The Exotac throws sparks with ease. Scott Einsman

While you can start fires with lighters and matches, a ferrocerium staff is an excellent survival and skill-building option. They’re a great survival option because they’re waterproof, portable, and you can start hundreds of fires with a ferro staff. They take time to master, but building the skills necessary to use them is a worthy investment for outdoor enthusiasts. There is no better ferro rod on the market than the Exotac fireRod. The aluminum handle is ergonomic and gives you a secure grip in all weather conditions. Whether you’re wielding a square-backed knife or a custom striker, the 5/16-inch diameter Ferro Rod throws a hail of sparks. It also has cool features like a tinder capsule that contains Exotac quickLIGHT tabs so you’ll always have fire-igniting tinder. If you ever wear out the ferro rod, you can easily replace it by threading in a spare. The downside of the FireRod is its price. It’s more expensive than other ferrocerium fire starters, but has properties others don’t and will last indefinitely with spare ferrorods.

Final Thoughts

Each of these tried and tested firelighters will help you get a roaring fire going, so you can spend less time building a fire and more time enjoying it. The key is to choose the best igniter for your application, use the basics of lighting and always put safety first when starting fires.

How to choose a fire starter

All of these fire starters are awesome, but the key is choosing the best fire starter for you. Need a packable and weatherproof fire starter? Then Pyro Putty or Fire Flame are the best choice. If you are looking for a fire starter for your home, cabin or car camp, you have a wider choice. It’s also a good idea to consider the ignition source for your fire starter. Will you light it with a lighter, matches or an iron stick? Even the best ferro staves won’t light certain fire starters like the Midwest Hearth, but they will easily light Pyro Putty.

Test the best firelighters for waterproofness by submerging them in water. Scott Einsman

methodology

Whether you’re starting a fire in your fireplace or on a remote backpacking trip, you need a fire starter to easily light and get your fire started. To find the best firelighters, I tested them under the same conditions to measure their performance. I wanted to find out how they behave under the following conditions:

Burn time (How long does it burn?)

Wind power (Will strong wind put out the flame?)

Waterproof (will it glow when wet?)

Easy ignition (Is it easy to light?)

To test burn time, I lit the fire starter and determined how long it took for it to burn out. This test is helpful because a longer burn time means there is a greater chance that your fire’s fuel will ignite. This was also a good baseline test to see the size of the flame and how well each burned. How each performs on the burn time test is shown in the Key Features section.

For the wind power test, I lit the fire starter and then idled a leaf blower ten feet away. The steady flow of air simulated strong winds.

For the waterproof test, I immersed each fire starter in a bucket of water for 7 minutes. For the individually wrapped fire starters, I opened the packaging before submerging them. Then I tried to light each fire starter.

The last thing you want is a fire starter that’s hard to light. To test how easy the first starters were to light, I used a Bic lighter and timed how long from the moment the flame touched the fire starter to how long it ignited.

Fire Starting Tips by Kevin Estela: Types of Fire Layouts

Making a fire starts with proper preparation of the wood. Scott Einsman

Assuming you have identified the place where you want to make a fire, you need to think about what kind of fire will help you achieve your goal. There are several ways to arrange your fire so that it produces maximum light and heat, burns long, and other ways you can control the amount of heat you cook with. How you compose your fire is called “starting the fire”. Here are the common fire locations and what they are best for.

The tipi

Perhaps the most iconic and recognizable fire is the tipi fire, which takes its name from the cone-shaped configuration of firewood. This fire burns quickly, much like a wooden match turned upside down, producing a high, bright flame. It’s a good fire pit when you need to warm someone up or when you want to light up your campsite at night.

log cabin

An alternative to the tipi is the log cabin fire laying. Similar to Lincoln Logs, this fire consists of vertical logs forming a box and can be used for cooking as it burns very evenly and does not flare up.

platform and support

A hybrid of log house fire is another called “platform and support”. Think of this firelay as a single corner of a log cabin built on a heavier log that allows airflow. The corner of the platform and strut faces the direction the wind is blowing, and the initial fire is lit on the inside of the corner. This forces the flame into the material you wish to burn.

long fire

Additional layers of fire include long fires built down the length of a body and resting alongside it. The long fire is popular with winter camping enthusiasts and bushcrafters, who use it when temperatures drop and wood resources are plentiful.

Starfire Similar to the long fire, the starfire is used by groups of outdoor people who camp next to a fire for the night. The Starfire has a central fire with long tree trunks protruding from the center like spokes on a wheel. The campers sleep between the spokes and throughout the night each camper can push the nearby spoke into the fire to keep it burning.

Click here for Estela’s full article on starting a fire.

Continue reading: How to make a fire

frequently asked Questions

The most pressing questions – and answers – about buying your next kindling.

Q: What is the best fire starter for a fire pit? The best fire starter for a fire pit is Superior Trading Co’s Light a Fire. It burns for 14 minutes with a large flame to get a fire started easily and is also excellent in strong winds. Q: Do you need a fire starter? You absolutely don’t need to buy a fire starter, but you do need some kind of tinder, be it a feather stick, birch bark, or harvested fatwood. Q: Do fire starters expire? Some lighters can deteriorate and others can absorb moisture if not stored properly. Refer to the manufacturer’s information on expiration dates and proper storage.

values ​​of outdoor life

Outdoor Life editors not only enjoy hunting and fishing as hobbies — pursuing those passions is what makes us who we are. Our authors are also inveterate outdoor men and women. For more than a century, OL has been rating the latest and greatest outdoor gear, providing our readers with No-B.S. Reviews. We test products in the field under real conditions. We write about the pros and cons of each product we review so you know exactly what you’re getting when you decide to purchase the gear we cover. Only the best hunting, fishing, backpacking, camping and survival gear makes it into our reviews and round-ups. When we report it, you know it’s legitimate.