This article was co-authored by Britt Edelen. Britt Edelen was an active member of his local Boy Scouts troop near Athens, Georgia from ages 8 to 16. As a Scout, he went on dozens of camping trips, learned and practiced many wilderness survival skills, and spent countless hours appreciating the great outdoors. In addition, Britt worked as a counselor for several summers at an adventure camp in his hometown, which allowed him to share his passion for and knowledge of the outdoors with others. This article has been viewed 2,390,878 times.

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To build a fire, start by finding a clear, dry surface. Choose a spot that is at least 6 feet (1.8 meters) away from any trees or bushes. Next, clear the area of dry leaves, twigs, or other items that could ignite and cause the fire to spread. Before you build the fire, make sure you have a plan to put the fire out with water, dirt, or sand. To build a fire, first gather three types of materials: tinder (dry material like shredded bark, leaves, and grass), kindling (small sticks and branches), and fuel wood (larger logs). Make a ball of the tinder material and place it in the center of the area you want to make a fire. Then, stack your kindling around it in the form of a teepee. Alternatively, you can stack the kindling on top of the tinder in a criss-cross pattern. Leave a gap on one side so you're able to easily light the tinder. Once you’ve made the basic structure, lean pieces of fuel wood against each other over the tinder and kindling. Now you’re ready to light your fire. Use a lighter or matches to light the tinder. The tinder should light quickly, but it might help to light it on multiple sides so your fire burns evenly. If the fire isn’t catching, try gently blowing on it to help it spread, since fire needs oxygen to burn. Once the tinder is lit, it should light the kindling, which should burn for long enough that the fuel wood will catch as well. To learn how to start a fire without a lighter or matches, scroll down!