Top tips when you're out and about
Building a campfire
Cooking over a campfire can be a really fun experience that feeds into our primal caveman nature. Make sure you enjoy a successful outdoor experience by following a few simple rules when it comes to building and lighting your campfire.
Prepare your site
- Pick a location for your fire that is at least 5 metres away from bushes, flammable materials, or overhanging branches.
- Make sure your fire is built downwind from your tent.
- Use large rocks to make a round or U-shaped perimeter.
- If it is windy, make sure that the back of the firepit faces the wind so the wind carries any smoke to the back of the fire.
- Make a chimney out of a large rock or several smaller rocks at the back of the firepit to help direct smoke up and away.
Lay kindling
- Fill your chosen fire area with paper or tinder and a couple of Zip fire starter cubes.
- Lay kindling over the paper, alternating the orientation of the wood for each layer to create a lattice pattern. Some campers prefer to make a tepee shape.
- Remember to light the fire starters with long safety matches, and keep a bucket of water or sand/dirt nearby to smother any unwanted flames.
Once lit
- Once the kindling is fully lit, add firewood. Try to find wood that is similar in size.
- Use hardwood when available, as it burns more slowly and reduces spitting.
- When the flames have begun to die down, use a large strong stick to push the cinders into a high concentration at the back of the fire and a lower concentration at the front. This gives you the option of high, medium, or low cooking temperatures.
- To begin cooking, set the grill on the rocks. Place your food directly on the grill or in a pan and cook your meal in a truly authentic style.
- When you’re finished cooking, add wood for the evening campfire, sit back and enjoy relaxing in the great outdoors while keeping warm.
- Extinguish the fire completely with water before turning in for the night.
If you have any of your own top tips for building a campfire then we would love to hear them! Please share to our Facebook page, tweet us or send us an email.
