How to build a backcountry campfire

No firepit? No problem

What do we do when we find ourselves without the camping comforts of a firepit and fire starter fluid? We asked Forest Technology instructor Chris Klitbo to shed some light on the matter.

Bring along basic supplies

Fire starter – carry two types of fire starter in a waterproof case and two sets of that in different locations – such as on your body and in your backpack:

• waterproof matches
• lighters
• fire strikers (high-carbon steel used for striking a spark; check out the video below)
   

Tinder – small material that ignites right away. Store these with your fire starter:

• cotton balls impregnated with candle wax and kerosene
• fine shavings of birch bark (perfect for wet conditions)
• paper-like fibres found inside the bark of a dead poplar
• powdered Coffee-mate on some bark

​Gather some fuel on site

• twigs the size of a match and smaller
• finger-sized twigs
• wrist-sized sticks
• logs the size of your arm and larger
   

Fire it up

• gather all the materials you’ll need: fire starter, tinder, twigs, sticks and logs
• clear the ground down to soil or rock. Avoid building a ring of rocks as it can shield embers. If you do build a ring, take it apart when you put out the fire
• add increasingly larger pieces of twigs and logs wood as your fire burns
   

Put it out properly

Drown it in water – use enough to ensure all the coals and embers are cold. Dig through the fire. Mix it with dirt