So you've tried everything you were taught in Boy / Girl Scouts, the entire campsite has been ravaged of every pine needle, or pine cone, and you've just used up the last of your charcoal lighting fluid to no avail. The children wait anxiously with their marshmallows on sticks, and your companion looking for a romantic night in front of a roaring campfire has fallen asleep! What to do!!!
Step 1: Gather the "Disposable Combustibles" You've Brought with You!
Make it point to use paper grocery bags with handles if possible, to help haul most of the stuff you'll be using at your gathering: food, chips, blankets, towels, jackets, even the firewood!
You'll need at least 3 bags in order to have a chance at this!
Step 2: Prepare Your "Fire Starter"
Begin ripping and crumpling 2 of the 3 bags you've brought, and putting them inside the intact bag. If you brought commercially available fire starters with you, you can throw them inside the bag as well, it won't hurt. If your firewood came in a box, you can even rip the box into smaller pieces and put them in the bag as well. Of course, all of this assumes that everything is reasonably dry!
Putting everything in the bag, helps contain all the combustibles so when they burn, the flames and heat are concentrated and increase your chances of starting your firewood on its way!
Step 3: Build Your Campfire.
Place the stuffed grocery bag at the bottom of your fire pit/ring. Begin building your campfire over and around it: log cabin, teepee, combo doesn't really matter.
Of course, you've all ready made sure that your campfire is in a provided fire ring, or located in a place that won't burn the rest of the forest down!
Step 4: Light the Fire
Light the grocery bag and step back! Have additional firewood close by to feed the fire as the evening progresses.
This has worked EVERY time I've used it! Even at the beach!!
Step 5: Clean Up After Yourself!!
Pick up all your trash; especially bottles and cans before leaving! Better yet, keep track of your trash through the evening and keep it in one place so it'll be easier to dispose of. Any of you that have stepped on a broken bottle at the beach know what I'm talking about.
Douse your fire thoroughly at the end of the evening with whatever appropriate "nonflammable" fluids are available: left over beer in cans, half used water bottles, excess bodily fluids. This is key especially in forested areas! To many wildfires have been caused by smoldering campfires left behind for dead by careless campers! Don't be one of them!!
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