Knowing how to build a fire, from starting one to keeping it going, is an essential survival and homesteading skill. Starting a fire is easy enough with the convenience of fuel and matches. But what if you find yourself without these means? Here are fire-building techniques, tips, and tricks on how to build a fire and helping it burn nice and strong. Learn how to build a fire in the wild, how to set up an open fire, and more as you read on!
How To Build A Fire Using Any Means Available
1. How To Build A Fire Without Matches
You will find yourself in situations when you need to start a fire and matches will not always be there to do the job. Here are 10 common ways to start a fire where matches are not needed. This list also comes with a bonus! A fire-starting tool so very small and handy, you can carry it anywhere with you.
2. How To Make A Fire Starter
This homemade fire starter is a genius way of putting into good use materials you would normally throw in the trash. Tin cans, cardboard, and used candles make up this fire starter, which is effective in starting fires in firepits and campfires.
3. Wood Burning Stove Tips | How to Start Your Fire & Keep It Burning Safely
A wood burning stove is perfect for keeping a homestead all warm and toasty. On a cold winter's night, the last thing you want to happen is the hearth going out. Find out how to build a fire in a wood stove here and how to keep it going.
4. How To Build A Fire For Survival
Building a fire, especially in survival situations, isn't easy. It may seem quick and easy in fire-starting videos but it takes time and a whole lot of patience. Movies and reality shows don't show the actual timeline in building a fire. Here you will find how to build a fire and some tricks for surefire success.
5. How To Start a Fire Using Batteries
Get a 9-volt battery plus steel wool. Introduce them to each other and soon, sparks will fly–literally! Hold it over your paper or twigs to start the fire.
6. How To Start a Fire With a Water Bottle
You may forget to bring fuel for starting a campfire, but you will never forget a plastic water bottle. Lucky, because plastic water bottles can work like a magnifying glass. Learn the tips and tricks in this video for starting a fire using plastic bottles.
7. How To Start a Fire Using a 9 Volt Battery
Here's another video guide on how to start a fire using a 9-volt battery. Learn the tricks in case you need to channel a McGyver move in a situation that needs it.
8. How To Start a Fire With Char Cloth
All you need for this one is char cloth–use 100% cotton cloth, and keep it safe. You can find out more about how to start a fire with char cloth here.
9. How To Start a Friction Fire
Starting a fire by rubbing objects together is a primitive fire-starting technique. It can be a tedious and tricky business, but if you're left with no other help and options, it's a good thing to learn different tricks.
10. How To Start and Maintain a Fire in Winter
Starting a fire in winter–indoors–is easy-peasy but how about outdoors when everything around you is wet and cold? Every homesteader and survivalist needs to know the way around it. Learn how to start and maintain a fire during winter and survive a harsh winter.
11. 5 Ways To Start A Fire In An Emergency Situation
Help yourself to these 5 ways to start a fire without using matches. Each is complete with the materials you will need and the step-by-step instructions. Try printing this guide and practicing the tricks which may prove handy someday.
12. DIY Fire Starter | 17 Unique Ways To Start Fire
From reading glasses and urine to a soda can and chocolate, you will find these fire-starting tools too incredible to be true. That is until you find out for yourself they do actually work. Find out what the rest of these interesting fire-starting ways are here.
13. 11 Weird Ways To Start Fire
Our list just got a bit more incredible. You will find more unconventional, even unheard-of, tricks to start and build a fire. For a start, how about you try ice?
14. Build Fire Without a Spark | 9 Tips and Tricks
Matches, flint, and a battery can easily make a fire, but how about when a spark is absent? Try these tips and tricks and start a fire even without a spark.
15. 17 Wicked Ways To Start A Fire
Need to start your campfire, but left your kindling at home? No problem! Use your greasy potato or tortilla chips bag to start the blaze. All that and more fire-starting techniques, here.
Whether in reality survival shows or real-life survival, starting and building a fire is one of the first things you should accomplish. This time you know how to start a fire if you ever find yourself in a tricky situation. These techniques to build a fire in your homestead or in the wilderness are very handy to have up your sleeve, indeed!
Which of these techniques and tricks on how to start a fire have you put into action before? We're excited to find out about it in your comments below!
Up Next: How To Build An Outdoor Fireplace | Homesteading DIY Skills
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on January 7, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
I’m an assistant scoutmaster with the boyscouts with 30 years experience. One of our favorite methods of starting a fire is using flint and steel . We make our own firestarter kits using cedar bark and hemp rope. To make one you get some dried cedar bark. Use your knife and scrape the inner bark off. Next we cut some 3/8 ” hemp rope about 3″ long pieces. Take and unravel the hemp rope pieces into single strands. To use form hemp rope into a birds nest and put cedar bark scraping in the center of your birds nest. To lite use a match, flint and steel or magnifying glass. We store ours in old film canisters by putting them in layers. First put bark in bottom and hemp on top. This is the ideal amount for making a fire. This keeps it dry. You can also use old pill bottles. Most inner barks will work but cedar works the best because its the softest.
Thanks for the tips! Happy scouting.
I scrape off my dryer lint screen and at it to my bag of dryer lint. Actually, I use a gallon sized ziplock baggie. With the zipper, of course. And I have tried using some as kindling and it works…every time. Two words folks…dryer lint is some of the best kindling on the planet
Chips – what can’t they do? I could have used this list yesterday as I tried to build a fire out of wet wood.
Chips are pretty much used as a tinder. The really oily ones work best.
I love all the diverse fire making techniques. I also love the different types of structures. One of my favorites for cooking is the Dakota style fire pit. Here is a link here if anyone is interested. I also really like using the Swiss fire technique https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI9XG1UoduE