Skills guide
Almost every failed fire ran out of kindling at the wrong moment
People gather enough tinder and not nearly enough kindling. The gap between a flame and a burning log is where fires die, and it takes more fuel than it looks.
How much
Three good double handfuls of pencil-thick kindling and the same again of thumb-thick. Gather it all before striking anything.
The structure
Air underneath matters more than arrangement. Anything that keeps the fuel off wet ground and lets air through will work.
When to add
Add the next size only when the current size is fully alight, not when it catches. Impatience smothers more fires than damp wood.
Read the full guideSee the wood sizes
