I love being outdoors with my fire pit with friends. It’s so much fun when we’re all together with my friends and family.
My fire pit has given me an excuse to get outside, when it’s cold and dark outside, when I want to show off my garden, roast chestnuts, or when I just need space to breathe.
Maybe toss in a fire pit skull for a morbid look!
I love sitting around a round outdoor fire pit with the neighbors, the flames crackling and warming our faces, warming our hands as we talk about life.
The deepness of the forest right outside my house is a comfort to me. I can understand why some people might see this as an inconvenience or a waste of time but to me, it’s the best way to spend my time.
Being outdoors is so refreshing – it clears my head and makes me feel alive again.
There are many ways that you can use to start a fire in a fire pit. Regardless of the method that you can use, it will help you to keep the fire burning.
(Learn how to start a fire without kindling!)
It is a perfect way to help you spend more time with family or friends while the fire is burning. The fire creates a cozy and aesthetically fun environment and creates warm memories with your loved one.
Before you lit the fire, there are many things to consider, like safety practices and many others. Observing the safety measure will enable you to start the fire without causing any issue or problem. Therefore, knowing how to create a fire in a fire pit is essential to attain safety. Now let’s look at how to start a fire in a fire pit.
Contents
Proper Way To Start A Fire In A Fire Pit
Step 1: Preparing the fire pit area
Before you lit the fire, you needed to prepare the area to do everything safely. Here you can check the fire pit regulations that will guide you to prepare the area accordingly. Now let look at some of the safety measures that will guide you in preparing the pit area;
- Ensure the fire pit is on level ground
- Make sure there is no unnecessary material on the surface (read about fire pits on grassy areas)
- Use fire pit screens
- Keep distance from your structure or building
- You should have a nearby water source like a hose pipe if you need to put off the fire
Step 2: Collecting all the necessary materials
After preparing the fire pit area, now is time to make sure all the necessary materials or tools are available. The materials that you have to gather before your start the fire include;
Firestarter
It is one of the components that you may not afford to miss. It comprises the matches or lighters. You can choose any available fire starter that can help you start the fire on your fire pit. It would also be good if you would opt to select the rechargeable or eco-friendly ones so that you do not affect the environment in any way. Also, go for the ones that will enable you to get the flames in a short period.
Tinder
No, not that Tinder! Tinder is an essential component that will enable you to have easy combustion. It includes dry leaves, straw, tree bark, newspaper, dry grass, and many others. You should not afford to miss a component that can easily catch fire. With the help of this component, you will be able to start the fire quickly.
Kindling
These are small dry sticks that can catch fire quickly from the tinder. It is an essential component that will help you catch fire from the tinder, and then before it finishes burning, it can help your firewood catch fire and make the fire keep on burning.
Firewood
Firewood is a significant component for your fire to keep burning. Here it would be best if you had the piece of wood, especially the dry ones. Remember that not all wood is the same; others burn for a long time while others burn for a short period. Consider the size of the wood you will use because the size of your pit will influence these.
Step 3: Constructing your firepit’s fire
- Placing the tinder at the center of the fire pit
It would be best if you placed the tinder at the center of your fire pit. Remember to place them well so that they can enable the kindling to catch fire.
- Kindling positioning
You have to place your kindling direct above your tinder. Remember to leave an opening underneath the kindling you will use to light the tinder and oxygen flow. It will enable the kindle to catch fire and pass the fire to the woods.
Here you have to lay out your firewood on the fire pit well. There are different ways that you can use to layout the firewood. Some of these position includes a log cabin, teepee, and lean-to. Both of these layouts work best but dictate the location of how you will place the firewood relatively to the kindling.
With the teepee style, you will have to place the firewood on the top of the kindling. For the log cabin fire, you will have to set the firewood in two pieces in parallel. Then you can add other logs perpendicular to the kindling and form a square shape. You have to place the woods this way until you have at least three layers.
The lean-to method is the best if there is a breeze or wind. You have to place the firewood perpendicular to the direction from where the wind is coming from. Remember to make sure that the kindling is at the center of the fire pit and is touching the firewood.
Step 4: Lighting the tinder
After you have prepared the fire pit and placed all the necessary material on the fire pit is time to start the fire. Here you have to be careful if you have loosely held clothes or long hair. You can use your light starter to light the tinder.
Step 5: Adjusting the wood placement
As the fire starts burning, you should be there to make sure that you adjust your firewoods so that they are in contact with the kindling to catch fire. However, remember to do it carefully so that you cannot fall into the fire pit. At this stage, you will see small coals forming as your wood start to ignite. You can also add firewood as the fire keep burning. You should also monitor how the fire is burning, and if it gets too large, you can reduce it by stroking the flames.
Conclusion
The above are the steps that you can use to start a fire on your fire pit. The process just involved easy steps that you have to consider so that you can start the fire successfully. Remember, it would be the best idea to follow them in the order they appear so that you can light the fire successfully. Skipping even one step may lead to some problem, so stick to the procedure. The other thing is that you have to follow the safety measures because fire is very harmful and can lead to other issues.
Hi, my name’s Eugene Duke and I love sitting by my fireplace reading a book and sipping on an adult beverage. Do you have a fireplace in your house? I’ll help you figure out the best type and style of fireplace for your home.
