Lighting A Coal Fire? Best 191 Answer

A more efficient way to start a fire

The Grenadier Electric Firestarter offers a far more efficient and cleaner way to start a fire without having to use any of the traditional fire-starting methods. It directs powerful, concentrated heat directly onto the fire bed and is guaranteed to ignite all solid fuels, including wood, coal and smokeless fuels, within minutes.

Instructions for preparing your fire bed for split logs

Simply arrange 2 or 3 logs in one direction on the grid with 2 or 3 logs at right angles to them. Then position the Grenadier’s nozzle at the base of the fuel. Plug in the heater and turn it on with the safety key. At less than 1p per fire, it’s far more cost effective than using kindling or chemical fire starters.

Make the flames roar

If you have a wood stove, open all vents to ensure a good flow of oxygen to the flames. Once the fire is roaring you can add small logs to maintain a healthy flame, but be careful not to overload the firebed at this stage while the fire is still getting going and leave gaps to ensure you get the Do not smother air supply to the burning wood.

Some would argue that there is nothing wrong with starting a fire using traditional methods – well, that’s right! But if you want to make your life easier and avoid that nasty chemical smell on your hands, then the Grenadier Firelighter is the ideal and best solution.

The Grenadier Firelighter costs just £124.95 and comes with an adjustable stand to adjust to the height of your fireplace or wood stove.

You make a closed fire, so place your grill in an open area away from fences or trees. Keep a fire extinguisher or bucket of water nearby and keep children and pets away. Use long-handled tongs and proper grilling tools with insulated handles or you could burn yourself.

We’ve got all the advice you need to get your grill off to a sizzling start…

As the summer months begin, there’s no better way to celebrate than gathering your family and friends for a BBQ. If you’re unsure how to light the charcoal or worried about burning your kebabs crispy, read our tips for starting a grill and how to tell when the coals are ready to grill.

2. Buy good quality charcoal

Sample and buy good quality, sustainably produced charcoal – look for charcoal made from coppice or Forest Service approved wood. This ignites easily, burns better and does not distort the taste of the food, in contrast to charcoal, which contains fire accelerators.

3. Use a chimney starter

With one of these tubular starters, you can easily light charcoal with a few sheets of newspaper – the coals catch and start glowing quickly and easily. A chimney also protects the coals (and you) on a windy day. Once the coals are ready, you can tip them into the grill safely and easily.

4. If you don’t have a chimney, arrange your charcoal in a stack

Push newspaper balls or natural lighters (like wood shavings or wool) between the charcoals. Light the paper and firelighters and let the flames catch and get going in their own time. Then let them die back – all you can achieve with flame is burnt food. Ash coals are needed for cooking.

When a few coals have been lit, the rest will start by themselves, so don’t rush them by adding more firelighters. When the heat drops off while grilling, place coals on the outside of the grill and allow them to flare up and die before cooking over them.

5. Know if you need direct or indirect heat before you start cooking

How you arrange your coals gives you different heat zones and more control over your grill.

direct heat

If you think of a grill as a griddle, lighting an even layer of charcoal is tantamount to cooking everything at top heat in the hottest pan. While this direct method works for thin cuts of meat that cook quickly (like burgers and thinly sliced ​​steaks), it will burn anything that takes longer to cook.

Indirect Heat

Shift the coals to one side of the grill and keep the other side uncovered to achieve different temperatures – use the non-coal side to cook with indirect heat. Hot coals on just one side also allow you to cook on one half and keep food warm on the other. If you have a kettle grill, this is a device for indirectly low-and-slow cooking large cuts of meat.

The second option is to place an old roasting pan in the center of the grill and stack the coals around it, then cook the food on the grill above the tray, which in turn is covered by the lid. The heat circulates around the grill for a hot smoked/spit roast effect.

Indirect cooking is perfect for larger cuts and bone-in meats such as chicken and lamb. It’s also great for more delicate foods like fish fillets. Also, there’s some direct heat where the coals are stacked in case you want to brown other items quickly. Indirect cooking means food doesn’t burn or scorch.

A little bit of each

By tilting the coals you get a heat gradient from scorching hot to gently sizzling. This is useful when you’re grilling for a crowd – you can keep things going on one end while cooking full force on the other.

Read more about using charcoal.

6. Learn to recognize when your coals are ready

If you try to cook something when the coals aren’t ready, it can overcook or burn—it’s not a risk worth taking. Use our color code guide to help you decide when to start cooking your food:

Black or Gray with Flames: Not finished yet. Come in, have a beer and relax.

Glowing white hot with red centers (blow very gently to control): Ready for direct heat.

Cracked but still very hot: Ready for indirect heat or charcoal cooking.

7. Use a thermometer

Testing the temperature of your food helps prevent disasters. We like Thermapens, which have a temperature probe that folds away for safe storage in your cutlery drawer.

More grilling tips and recipes can be found here…

The best tips for a successful barbecue

How to grill safely

The 5 best barbecue recipes for the whole family

Collection of barbecue recipes

Grill Hub Page

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Do you have any other tips for lighting a grill? Leave a comment below…

As more and more people turn to coal stoves for heating, they are finding that coal is much more difficult to burn than wood.

In fact, burning coal at home is almost a lost art in this petroleum generation. It takes a lot more than just a flick of the thermostat to get heat from a coal stove. You have to know what you’re doing. What kind of coal should you burn in the stove?

Anthracite, the hardest coal, should be used for home heating. Denser than bituminous (soft) coal, it is also purer, less polluting, more consistent in combustion and virtually odorless.

In general, the smaller charcoal sizes burn better than the larger ones because they allow more oxygen-carrying air to circulate over a larger area of ​​exposed charcoal. Most European-style airtight charcoal stoves burn pea-sized chunks (9/16 to 13/16 inches), although other stoves can burn nut charcoal (13/16 to 15/8 inches). Automatic pantry furnaces in a basement use very small rice-sized charcoal.

In general, the smaller charcoal sizes burn better than the larger ones because they allow more oxygen-carrying air to circulate over a larger area of ​​exposed charcoal. Most European-style airtight coal stoves burn pea-sized chunks (916 to 13/16 inches), although other stoves may burn nut-sized coals (13/16 to 15/8 inches). Automatic heating stoves in a basement of a house use very small rice-sized charcoal.

In general, the smaller charcoal sizes burn better than the larger ones because they allow more oxygen-carrying air to circulate over a larger area of ​​exposed charcoal. Most European-style airtight charcoal stoves burn pea-sized chunks (13/16 to 9/16 inches), although other stoves may burn nut charcoal (13/16 to 15/8 inches), and a basement uses very small rice-sized charcoal.

It is important to know and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Using too small a size can result in charcoal falling through the grate and being wasted.

A coal fire often goes out because ash has accumulated under and on the grate, preventing essential oxygen from reaching the bed of coal. Unlike wood, a coal fire collects about 80 percent of its oxygen under the grate.

For this reason, frequent shaking of the ash and emptying of the ash pan is required. Depending on the type of stove and burning rate, the grate should be shaken two to four times a day.

Clinkers, which prevent the coal from getting enough oxygen, also cause fires to go out.

Clinkers are the non-combustible minerals of coal that show up as a light molten ash that can form progressively larger chunks. If you shake the grate, break the bricks with a poker, preferably at grate height. Remove them if possible, but remember that a coal fire doesn’t like to be disturbed.

What are clinker? Clinkers are the non-combustible minerals of coal that show up as a light molten ash that can form progressively larger chunks. If you shake the grate, break the bricks with a poker, preferably at grate height. Remove them if possible, but remember that a coal fire doesn’t like to be disturbed.

If your newly lit coal fire dies out without ever reaching its full potential, it may be because you don’t have enough coals in the stove. A coal fire burns best when concentrated; Therefore, a spread bed of coals will not burn for long.

To start a charcoal fire from scratch and keep it going, first prepare a large glowing bed of charcoals. The ignition point of charcoal is about 660 degrees F., about 100 degrees higher than the ignition point of wood. Anthracite never ignites directly just from crumpled paper and kindling.

When your fire seems to be fading, open a damper or door that directs air to the bottom of the kiln. This increases the flow of oxygen through the coals and breathes new life into the fire.

In mild weather, your coal fire may stall and steam to the point of disappearing. All things being equal, this can mean that the outside temperature is approaching the chimney temperature, reducing the draft. This in turn slows the flow of oxygen through the ember bed. Opening the hatch or door that feeds the fire can rejuvenate the coals.

Coal stoves that automatically feed a fire by gravity through a hopper are easier to control and maintain. In contrast, so-called batch burner stoves, into which the fuel is shoveled all at once, have to be “piled up” at night.

In other words, for a continued night-time burn, rake the charcoal forward toward the feed door flap, leaving a hot red spot visible. Scoop in fresh coal and tip the new coal up the back and sides of the firebox. As a result, the oxygen remains directly available for the hot coals and the carbon monoxide exhaust gases are burned safely.

If all else fails and your fire still goes out, remove the fully extinguished coals from the firebox and start over – patiently and methodically.

Respect charcoal for what it can be – a very hot, warming fire.

It’s not uncommon for people to mistakenly refer to charcoal as charcoal. In fact, one might think that they are the same. However, they are not, and swapping one for the other will do you more harm than good.

Charcoal vs Charcoal

Coal is a natural mineral formed over millions of years while charcoal is a product made from wood. While charcoal is never used alone in a grill or smoker in its natural state, it is commonly added to charcoal briquettes to increase energy density.

Both are used to generate heat, albeit for different purposes. Let’s first see how each of these types of carbon compounds are formed, and then we’ll explain what they’re best used for.

What is charcoal?

Charcoal is carbon that remains after water and other volatile compounds from wood (or any combustible biomass) have been burned in a low-oxygen environment. This process, known as pyrolysis, is usually carried out in silos or special charcoal ovens and can take days.

The lack of oxygen prevents the charcoal from burning during this process, which in turn prevents it from burning to ash.

This process results in a much more energy-dense fuel, charcoal, which is about a quarter of its original weight.

Due to the high energy density, lump charcoal burns much cleaner with less smoke and much hotter than wood chunks.

Lump Charcoal vs. Briquettes

Enthusiastic charcoal grill fans can be divided into two categories. One uses lumps and the other prefers briquettes. If you are new to using charcoal, this can be confusing. Here is a brief explanation of how these two fuel sources differ from each other.

lump of coal

Lump is charcoal in its purest form. It is made according to the previously mentioned process without any additives.

Lump charcoal is often preferred over briquettes because it typically burns hotter and cleaner. It also means you’ll likely use them up a lot quicker compared to briquettes.

Due to the irregularity in shape and size of lump charcoal, it is common for it not to fully char during manufacture. You will often be able to see portions of pieces that still bear some resemblance to the wood. Some people even appreciate the extra wood fire flavor.

charcoal briquettes

Briquettes, on the other hand, are made from sawdust, wood residues and anthracite. Binders and additives are added during the manufacturing process to hold the material together and make it easier to light. It then goes through a process very similar to charcoal, heating it to high temperatures in a low-oxygen environment.

The beauty of briquettes is that they are very uniform in size and also burn slower. This also makes them a cheaper fuel source than lumps.

Of course, briquettes are not without disadvantages. I haven’t noticed this myself, but some people claim that the additives can emit a specific smell when first ignited. However, if you let them burn to white ash before cooking, your food will taste the same.

While briquettes burn much more evenly than lump charcoal, don’t expect them to reach temperatures as high as lumps. Another thing not to say about briquettes is that they leave more ash after cooking.

What is charcoal?

Coal is a black sedimentary rock composed mostly of carbon. Like other fossil fuels, coal is formed over millions of years from dead vegetation. This extremely long formation process makes it a non-renewable resource.

Coal production started during the Carboniferous period, which is late Paleozoic (for all you science nerds out there).

During this time, most of the earth was covered with dense green forests. As the sea often flooded the land, it formed mud. Dead plants and algae were buried under the layers of mud and could not be biodegraded or oxidized. The low-oxygen environment causes anaerobic bacteria to break down the matter and turn it into peat.

Buried deep (we’re talking at least 4km deep), the peat layer eventually begins to transform into lignite, which is the lowest quality coal. As this process continues and the pressure and temperature increase, higher rank coals are formed.

Today, coal powers many of the power plants responsible for most of our electricity generation, and it plays a crucial role in steelmaking.

That being said, some types of charcoal give off much more heat than charcoal. It’s no secret that many charcoal manufacturers mix anthracite, a pure form of charcoal with other biomass, into their mix to increase the energy density of charcoal briquettes.

What about hot coal?

Hot coals are the glowing embers that remain after a charcoal or wood fire has died out. Embers are almost as hot as fire and can almost always burst into flames again if given more airflow.

Because they’re a much more consistent source of heat compared to open flames, you’ll often want to wait for your wood or charcoal to burn to embers before cooking on it.

The color of the embers depends on how hot they are. It starts out red and as it burns it turns orange. When the embers burn through, they slowly turn to ash.

You should always pour the water on it after cooking to prevent possible re-ignition of the fire.

Conclusion

Both coal and charcoal are carbon compounds, but that’s where the similarity ends. One is created by nature, the other by our hand. In addition, they differ in purpose, cost and the amount of heat generated.

For most of us, all we have to remember is that the next time you fire up your charcoal grill, make sure you get charcoal, not coal.

Safety tips for stoves

Chimney Safety Posted by: Coal Merchants UK Team on Jan 31st, 2018

Nothing beats the feeling of sitting back in front of the crackling fireplace on a cold winter evening. Whether you own a wood burning stove, open hearth or multi-fuel fire, you’ll never tire of the warm, vibrant display of flames in the heart of your living room. But it’s easy to get carried away by the romantic imagery and forget some of the important things – namely, how to stay safe when using a solid fuel fireplace.

In this article we look at some of the basic elements of fireplace safety for your peace of mind.

Before lighting a fire

Do not start lighting a fire without first checking the condition of your fireplace and chimney. This is particularly important if your fireplace has not been used for a long time. The chimney should be swept and inspected by a professional once a year to ensure there are no blockages, damage or creosote deposits in your chimney. If your chimney is damaged, lighting a fire can cause a chimney fire or the release of toxic gases – carbon monoxide, for example – into your home.

Any household furniture or other flammable objects nearby should be kept at a safe distance from the fire. This includes everything hanging on your mantelpiece. An open fire should always have a fire screen as well, so prepare one before attempting to burn anything.

Know your fuel

Knowing your fuel needs is a necessity. Your manufacturer’s guide should tell you what can and cannot be burned in your appliance, but if you don’t have that to hand you can always contact a reputable solid fuel supplier for advice. Also check if you are in a smoke controlled area or not. If you do, burning anything other than smokeless fuels can net you a hefty fine.

Once you know what type of fuel you need, the next step is to make sure it’s of a sufficiently high quality. For wood-burning stoves, you only want to burn dry, well-seasoned — or kiln-dried — wood. Not only does wet wood take more energy and time to burn, it can also be dangerous. There will be more smoke and there is a much higher chance of creosote deposits building up in your chimney. That’s why it’s always better to use treated dry wood from a reliable supplier.

General safety principles for fireplaces

So your chimney is in pristine condition, your chimney is clean and clear and your fuel is burning well; job done? Not quite. There are some important safety principles to keep in mind if you want to minimize risk:

Do not overload the fireplace with wood or coal and remove ash if it accumulates between uses

Never burn two different fuels at the same time on multi-fuel stoves. Always burn different fuels separately

We also recommend sticking with smokeless charcoal over regular house charcoal for a multi-fuel stove. Household charcoal can leave large amounts of soot – and generate large amounts of smoke – but smokeless charcoal burns more efficiently, keeping your stove cleaner and healthier

Never leave a fire pit unattended for any length of time

Make sure the fire is completely out before going to bed for the night

Keep a range of fireplace tools/accessories close to the fireplace – poker, charcoal shovel, tongs etc. Sturdy fireproof gloves are also helpful and of course a working, proper fire extinguisher is a must

Never use fire starters/lighter fluids to start a fire or while the fire is already lit. These substances are extremely volatile; The only fuel you should use is combustible solid fuel from a reputable supplier

Coal Merchants UK is here for all your coal, firewood and smokeless fuel needs. Whatever the device, we have the right fuel for you. We offer prompt, free home charcoal delivery nationwide – and can even provide emergency next-day delivery. If you would like to arrange a delivery of coal or one of our alternative solid fuels – or need expert advice on the most suitable fuel for your fireplace – simply contact us today. We’re here to help.

PeelThemWithTheirMithrasKnives · 16/12/2011 17:10

My mother always lit her charcoal fire with newspapers (rolled up and tied into pigtails). But I think she had a knack for it. It used to take a few tries sometimes, but you had to hold the paper well and tautly so it didn’t burn away too quickly. I tended to use fire starters and make a little pyramid like OldLady says. If needed I would add a little cooking oil to speed things up (carefully)

As winter approaches, many will prepare fireplaces and stoves and buy charcoal to heat our homes in the coming cold months. However, headlines surrounding the government’s Clean Air Strategy have created public confusion regarding stoves, open fires and what fuels can be burned. Note: The new legislation from May 2021 will only apply in England. Consumers in Scotland and Wales will not be subject to the new legislation on the sale of domestic charcoal and wetwood.

The Save Your Real Fire campaign was launched to help consumers across the country keep their homes warm in the first winter since the government introduced a ban on the use of charcoal and wet wood for certain household burns.

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“What’s wrong with that wood?” Excuses, excuses, excuses! The truth is probably that you’re embarrassed to have to unpack the fire you’ve stacked with so much confidence – only to find smoke billowing and sweating juice from a sizzling pile of wood.

Fiery Voortrekkers

I remember my father just using a match, newspaper and twigs for tinder to start a fire. The original campers and caravanners of our country, the Voortrekkers, didn’t even have matches, and they braaied three times a day for months.

What has changed? Now you are at a point and your flameless fire smokes like a dragon that has lost its spark. You’re thinking, “It has to be plan B” as you reach for your lifeline, those trusty little styrofoam-like white magic blocks.

But what if, instead of going for the off-the-shelf quick fix, you took the DIY recycling route worthy of the ace Scoutmaster hat on your head?

We did some research, spoke to several happy campers and found many ways to use household scraps to make effective firelighters. We’ve put a list of the more interesting options to the test so you can choose how you want to start your next fire with just one match.

How to make your own firelighters using… cork + paraffin

Collect corks and put them in paper cups. Fill the cups with paraffin and cover to prevent evaporation. Let the corks soak for a few days, check the paraffin level from time to time and top up if necessary. (The corks are porous and soak up the paraffin.) Remove the corks and seal in plastic bags.

cork + candle wax

Here’s another method using corks. Gather old candle stubs and melt them in a saucepan. (Caution: melted wax is dangerous.)

Fill paper cups about half full with corks that you have broken, crushed, or cut into small pieces and pour in enough hot wax to just cover the cork. Make a wick or two by rolling thin paper “sausages” and sticking them into the melted wax, leaving a fair bit sticking out. Once the wax has cooled, remove from the jars and seal in plastic bags.

cotton balls + petroleum jelly

You will need some cotton balls or pads like those used for makeup. Work some petroleum jelly into the cotton balls with your fingers and store them in a sealed container or ziplock bag.

Dryer lint + wax

Dryer lint has a use! Those loose fibers, lint, and other scraps of material that collect in a clothes dryer filter are good for homemade firestarters! Take clumps of the lint and press them into the indentations of an empty egg carton or paper cups, whichever size you prefer. Pour melted candle wax into the egg carton or cups to cover the lint. Once cool, remove your firelighters from the egg carton or cups and store in sealed bags or containers.

Teabag

Gather your used tea bags and let them dry, then soak them in paraffin or soak them in melted candle wax. Once they have absorbed the paraffin or the wax has cooled, seal them in a plastic bag or an old lunch box.

sawdust or wood shavings

Fill paper cups about three-quarters full with sawdust, wood shavings, or even shredded paper and soak again in paraffin or douse with melted candle wax. Once the wax has cooled or the paraffin has saturated the wood or paper, staple the cups shut.

toilet paper cores

Don’t throw them away! Close one end of each roll with a clamp or two, stand upright between a row of bricks or other heavy objects, and fill with sawdust, wood shavings, shredded cork, or shredded paper. Pour in hot candle wax, just covering the contents. When the wax is cool and almost set, staple the open ends closed. The cardboard will burn and act as a wick until the contents catch fire, but you can also use a paper wick. (It may be an idea to soak the finished product in paraffin to help the cardboard burn longer.)

tips and facts

wicks

Use paraffin-soaked rope—or strips of cloth, cardboard, or paper rolled into tiny “sausages”—as wicks for your wax-based firelighters, which take longer to burn than the paraffin ones. You can put more than one wick in a single firelighter. Squeeze the wick into the wax, letting about half stick out just before it cools completely. With the lint lighters, you can use the tip of a knife or can opener to pick out and expose some of the fibers that will act as the wick.

double boiler

It’s safer to melt the wax with a water bath, especially if you’re using gas and therefore can’t control the temperature as easily as you can on an electric stove. If you don’t have an old double boiler available, pour some water into a pan and hang a smaller pot over it with wire hangers. In this way, the steam from the boiling water will melt the wax. But be careful: melted wax is very flammable.

firewood

We often don’t give much thought to the braai wood we buy from our local store or from the curb. For my part, I just make sure it looks dry and isn’t too expensive – I hate burning money – then the bag ends up in the trolley. But the choice of firewood is actually a very important preliminary step in a popular South African national pastime. With the help of Dr. Martina Meincken, a senior lecturer in the Department of Forest and Wood Science at the University of Stellenbosch, will shed some scientific light on the different types of braai wood.

The availability of firewood varies from region to region – so much so that you could actually write a book about it. The Western Cape, where five types of wood are popular for braai fires, is an interesting study.

We know the braai wood species by their common names: rooikrans (cyclops acacia), camel thorn (Acacia erioloba), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus cladocalyx), pine (Pinus patula), and vine stumps (Vitis vinifera).

The energy content of the wood and the environmental impact of burning are two important aspects to consider. dr Meincken says density, ash content, and elemental composition are related to calorific value (i.e. how hot the wood burns). Interestingly, she found that wood, which has the highest calorific value, is not necessarily the best option for a barbecue when environmental factors are also taken into account.

wood calories?

The calorific value of wood depends on its main elements such as carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, while nitrogen and some inorganic components only contribute to toxic exhaust gases. The typical elemental composition of wood is about 51% carbon, 40% oxygen, 6% hydrogen, 0.2% nitrogen, and inorganic components that remain as ash.

Good grill wood should be dense with a high carbon content, which means it has a high energy content and burns slowly to produce hot and slow burning coals, leaving little ash behind. Burning wood produces many toxic gases, including carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides, which contribute to the greenhouse effect, lead to acid rain and generally affect our health.

arsenic

The study by Dr. Meinken determined the nitrogen content of wood species, as well as the presence of heavy metals like aluminium, lead, cadmium and even arsenic, to indicate how eco-friendly or not a braai fire would be. She says heavy metals are toxic to humans and the environment.

HOW TO BUILD A CAMPFIRE

There is an art to making a good bonfire or braai. The wood must be stacked in such a way that air can circulate. The goal is a good layer of glowing coals and a steady flow of heat.

Properly stacking the wood will help a fire start and burn more easily. Always start by placing your firelighters and kindling where you plan to start your fire. Here are three basic stacking patterns to help you start your fire and keep it burning. Always remember to keep a bucket of water nearby to put out your fire in an emergency and never leave your fire unattended.

tipi method

Place three medium logs of wood evenly spaced aloft, at an inward angle of about 45 degrees. Place the logs so the ends balance against each other to form a rough tripod.

Hold the top of the logs with one hand. Add more logs one at a time around the tripod to build a teepee shape. When the teepee takes shape and can easily stand on its own, let go of the tops of the logs.

Leave a small space between some logs so you can light the tinder when the wood is ready. Once the fire is lit, the inner logs first burn to coals to form a heat core. As the fire burns, add more logs to the teepee.

leaning

Place a large log, eight to ten inches long, behind the fire pit. Lay tinder loosely in front of the log, followed by kindling.

Stack smaller logs over the large log so the ends don’t touch the ground. Position the smaller logs close together and above the tinder and kindling.

Light the tinder by reaching under the canopy. Once the kindling has caught, the fire will reach up between the smaller logs. When these burn down, stack more logs against the larger log in the same way.

log cabin

Place two equal-sized logs on each side of the tinder and kindling. Rotate two more similarly sized logs 90 degrees to the first and place them over the ends of the logs as if you are building a log home. Lay several smaller logs completely over the last two logs to form the “roof” of the hut.

Light the tinder. As the fire burns, the interior of the cabin begins, concentrating the heat in the center of the fire and providing a good charcoal core for an extra warm and long lasting fire. Add more logs to the last sentence as needed.

Starfire

This stacking pattern is a flat version of the teepee fire. The logs are laid out in a star shape, with one end touching in the middle to burn from the centre. If you need more flame, gently push the logs deeper toward the center. This fire is easy to control and works well when you need a slow fire to cook with.

If you’re building a fire pit in your backyard or campsite, it can help to recycle paper materials by burning them. Newspaper, leaves, and untreated wood work well, as does uncoated cardboard. If you have a lot of boxes lying around, feel free to use them for an outdoor fire. However, according to the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture’s Burn Teaching Guide, you should never burn cardboard that is coated with plastic residue, as it releases harmful chemicals into the atmosphere. Also, don’t burn cardboard in your home, the Chimney Safety Institute of America warns, as it can cause chimney fires, which can compromise the structure of your chimney or start a house fire.

PeelThemWithTheirMithrasKnives · 16/12/2011 17:10

My mother always lit her charcoal fire with newspapers (rolled up and tied into pigtails). But I think she had a knack for it. It used to take a few tries sometimes, but you had to hold the paper well and tautly so it didn’t burn away too quickly. I tended to use fire starters and make a little pyramid like OldLady says. If needed I would add a little cooking oil to speed things up (carefully)

Whether you’re trying to start a campfire for cooking or just want some extra light and warmth when night falls over the backyard, learning to start a fire in a fire pit is a life skill that can even help in an emergency . To make it easier, you can use kindling while learning how to start a fire, although the following steps will work with standard fire pit wood as well.

Remember that learning how to light a fire pit is not enough; You should also learn how to properly extinguish a fire pit. If the flames and embers in a wood burning fire pit are not completely extinguished, the unattended flames can spread to the grass, foliage, deck, shed, tent, or even the home. Even if you can’t see flames or embers, wood fire pits can retain enough residual heat to reignite the wood. Therefore, always follow the instructions below to properly extinguish the flames and quench the embers in a wood fire pit.

Tool and material bucket

fire extinguisher

firewood

Tinder

kindling

lighter

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matches (optional)

Flint and steel (optional)

Poker or long stick

shovel

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BEFORE YOU START

Always check local laws to make sure it’s legal to have a lighted fire pit in your yard, and make a habit of keeping a bucket of water or a fire extinguisher nearby for emergencies. It takes about 20 minutes to completely extinguish even a dying fire. So do not start a fire if you do not have enough time to properly monitor and extinguish the flames. You must also ensure that the fire pit and surrounding areas are completely free of dry leaves, twigs, or other objects that could ignite if they come in contact with the flames or even a stray spark.

STEP 1: Find small, dry materials for tinder.

Large logs aren’t easy to light, so you can’t just stack the firewood and expect a lighter or match to work. First, you can buy a fire starter or bundle of tinder for a home fire, or look for small, dry materials like dry grass, leaves, shredded tree bark, and newspaper. Crafted Firestarters and Tinder Packs are designed for easy use and easy to find. The only downside is that you are paying for material that could be found on the forest floor or even in your own backyard.

STEP 2: Find dry sticks and twigs to kindle.

Tinder will get the flames going, but if you don’t have kindling, the tinder will usually die out before larger firelogs can ignite. Kindling can also be purchased in ready-made bundles, often treated with combustible resins to make it easier to kindle. But you can also look around the yard, campsite, or forest to find dry sticks and twigs to use as a starter for your fire. Although these materials do not ignite as easily as store-bought kindling, they are usually free. If you can’t find sticks, consider cutting a larger piece of wood into kindling with an ax like this option available on Amazon or a knife.

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STEP 3: Start the fire with firewood, kindling and tinder.

If you’ve been paying attention in science class, you know that fire cannot burn without an oxidizer. In most cases, this oxidant is oxygen, so starting the fire is one of the most important steps in the process. Without adequate ventilation, the fire does not have access to oxygen and cannot be lit or remain lit. Also, if you don’t start the fire properly, the logs can collapse, which reduces ventilation and can also cause sparks to fly out of the fire pit.

Choose to build the fire in a cross, teepee or log cabin.

Crossfire Structure: Position the tinder material in the center of the fire pit, then place the kindling on top of the tinder in a criss-cross pattern. Finally, add the logs of firewood in a similar criss-cross pattern, making sure to leave gaps for ventilation.

Position the tinder material in the center of the fire pit, then criss-cross the tinder with the kindling. Finally, add the logs of firewood in a similar criss-cross pattern, making sure to leave gaps for ventilation. Tipi Fire Structure: Start with the tinder material in the center of the fire pit and stack kindling vertically around the tinder with an opening on one side. Repeat the process with logs of firewood, leaving the same opening in the structure for ventilation.

Start with the tinder material in the center of the fire pit and stack kindling vertically around the tinder with an opening on one side. Repeat the process with logs of firewood, leaving the same opening in the structure for ventilation. Log Cabin Fire Structure: As with the other two options, the tinder material starts at the center of the fire pit. Next, stack kindling pieces vertically around the tinder material in a teepee structure. At this point the structure should look like the tipi fire structure. Place two logs of firewood on either side of the tipi and then place two more logs vertically over the first two logs on either side of the tipi. Repeat this pattern one or two more times to complete the log home fire structure.

STEP 4: Light the tinder to start the fire.

Once the fire is set up and you are comfortable with both the structure and the ventilation, it’s time to light the fire. You can use a lighter, matches, or even a flint and steel set as a weatherproof alternative. Light the tinder using your method of choice, making sure to light the material from multiple sides for a more even burn. If you’re using a flint and steel set, you’ll need to hold the steel close to the tinder pile and hit the flint against the steel to create sparks.

STEP 5: Monitor and entertain the fire.

The flames should grow rapidly, but it is important to always monitor the fire to reduce the risk of the fire spreading and preventing it from going out. Keep the fire going with a poker or long stick to move the hot coals and embers formed from the burned tinder and kindling into a heap to increase the heat. You can also blow on the coals to bring oxygen into the fire pit. Use the poker on the firewood logs to break off charred pieces and expose new wood to the fire. Add additional fuel logs as needed to keep the fire going.

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STEP 6: Extinguish fire.

If it is time to sleep or if you need to pack up the campsite, start putting out the fire about 20 minutes beforehand as it takes time to ensure the fire is properly extinguished. If you plan not to use the fire pit for several days, you can slowly pour a full bucket of water onto the fire to quench the flames, coals and any residual heat. Use the poker or a stick to move the coals, embers, and ash to look for signs of steam or hissing sounds. If the fire pit is still steaming or hissing, the fire is not completely out. Fill the bucket and tip it back over the pit until the fire is cool and quiet.

If you plan to use the fire pit again soon, you must take the time to put out the fire. Pour water over the fire pit to douse the embers and cool the ashes, but do not overwater the fire pit. Turn the embers and ashes with a shovel and keep sprinkling water until no more steam, heat, or sound comes from the fire pit. Alternatively, you can use sand or dirt to put out the flame, but you would need to remove the sand or dirt from the fire pit to use it again.

Final Thoughts

The fire pit must be cleared of ash, coals and any remaining pieces of wood once the fire is completely out and the fire pit is cool. Use a shovel to scoop and scrape the material from the pit and toss it in a garbage bag. While most local authorities will allow you to dispose of these ashes in the regular trash, it’s a good idea to check local guidelines for proper disposal. Cover the fire pit when in a fixed position or place the fire pit in a location protected from wind and rain.