How to Light a Fire

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: November 24, 2021 References

You've gathered tinder and kindling and built your fire, now you just need to light it. For a simple way to light the tinder, strike a match or flick your lighter. Then touch the flame to tinder to set it alight. If you'd like a waterproof method for lighting the fire, strike a sharp object against a Ferro rod to create sparks that will light the tinder. If the sky is sunny, try starting your fire by focusing sunlight through a magnifying glass. To develop true skill, use friction to rub a stick and piece of wood together to light your fire.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Using Matches or a Lighter

1
Block the wind with your back. You'll have difficulty lighting your fire if the wind is blowing right in the direction of the fire. To make it easier to light, kneel or crouch so your back faces the wind and shields the fire from the wind.^{[1]
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- Remember that strong wind can blow fire to nearby trees or branches so be prepared to extinguish the fire if it begins to spread.
- If you're lighting the fire in an indoor fireplace, you can skip this step.
2
Protect the lighter or match flame. Strike the match or flick the lighter to create a flame. Do this close to the tinder and your cup your other hand around the flame to ensure that the wind won't blow out the flame before you can bring it to the tinder.^{[2]
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- If you'll be lighting a fire in damp conditions, consider using waterproof matches. If you're lighting a fire indoors, you probably won't need to worry about the flame going out.
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3
Touch the light to 3 or 4 spots around the tinder. Your fire is more likely to catch if you touch the match or lighter flame to several areas of tinder. The tinder should catch almost instantly so the kindling catches fire soon after.^{[3]
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Tinder Options:
Wood shavings
Wadded paper
Strips of cardboard
Commercial fire sticks or fire starters
Dryer lint
4
Blow on the tinder to light the kindling. If it looks like the tinder flames aren't going to reach the kindling, blow very gently on the tinder so the flame goes in the direction of the kindling. Once the kindling catches, you can add more kindling so the flames grow.^{[4]
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- If you're still struggling to get the kindling to catch fire, you might not have enough tinder. Add more tinder and light it again.
5
Place the fuelwood on the fire. Add pieces of wood that are about as thick as your wrist. They'll begin to catch fire from the kindling and you'll be able to enjoy the fire you just lit.^{[5]
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- If you'd like to add large logs, wait until the thinner fuelwood catches. This way the fire will have enough oxygen to generate heat that will burn the large logs.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Sparking a Fire with a Ferro Rod

1
Purchase a ferrocerium rod. You can buy a Ferro rod from most outdoor supply stores, welding stores, or online. Ferro rods are great to use if you are new to building and lighting fires. This is because you can use them even if they get wet. They also produce a much hotter spark than the spark from flint and steel, so your tinder will catch easier.^{[6]
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Did You Know? A Ferro rod is sometimes mistakenly called fire steel. Traditionally, a fire steel is the steel striker that used to spark flint.
2
Choose a strong item to strike against the rod. You can use almost any hard material as long as it's harder than the Ferro rod itself. For example, use a stone that's harder than the rod, such as flint, the back of a knife, steel, or glass.^{[7]
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- Keep in mind that some Ferro rods will come with a striker.
3
Hold the Ferro rod next to the tinder. Position the rod so that one end of it is resting on a flat surface and the tinder is directly in front of the rod. The rod can be almost touching the tinder so the sparks will land on the tinder and start a fire. Hold the other end of the rod up using your other hand.^{[8]
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- Hold the rod so it makes a 45-degree angle.
- Placing the end of the rod on a flat surface will prevent you from accidentally knocking the tinder away.
4
Rub a sharp side of the striker against the Ferro rod. Hold the striker at a 90-degree angle against the Ferro rod. Then scrape it forcefully up and down against the rod. Do this quickly to produce sparks.^{[9]
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- If you prefer, hold the striker steady and pull the Ferro rod up towards you so it rubs against the striker to create sparks.
5
Scrape the striker until the tinder begins to smoke. Continue to rub the striker up and down against the Ferro rod until enough sparks land in the tinder to start a fire. You'll notice smoke before you see a small flame. Blow gently to help the kindling above the tinder catch.^{[10]
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- You'll also see small sparks catching once the fire is going. These sparks are some of the metal shavings that you scraped off of the Ferro rod that are just now catching.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Using a Magnifying Glass

1
Hold a magnifying glass over the tinder. To use this method, the sky needs to be cloudless and the sun must be shining. Hold a magnifying glass between the sun and the tinder.^{[11]
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- It's easier to get the fire going if you use a glass magnifying glass. Although you can use a plastic magnifying glass, plastic can get scratched easily which will make it harder to focus the sunlight.
2
Bring the lens close to the tinder so the sun shines through it. You should see the sunlight shine through the magnifying lens to create a circle of light. Direct this so the circle shines on the tinder. Then move the lens close to the tinder until the circle is about ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) in diameter.^{[12]
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- Focusing the sunlight on a small circle will concentrate the sun's heat so the tinder lights easily.
3
Focus the circle of light on the tinder for 20 to 30 seconds. Keep the small circle of light positioned on your tinder and don't move it. This will channel the heat from the sun onto the tinder until it begins to smoke.^{[13]
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- If your tinder isn't catching, consider placing a piece of charred cloth on top of your tinder. This will help the fire start.
Did You Know? If you move the circle of light around the tinder, it won't catch because the tinder won't get hot enough.
4
Blow on the tinder to light the fire. Once the tinder smokes, lean in towards the tinder and gently blow on it to encourage the kindling to catch. You may need to use the magnifying glass again to light the tinder in another place if you're having trouble getting the kindling to light.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Using Friction to Start a Fire

1
Make a circular divot in a piece of fireboard. Get out a piece of softwood that you're using as a fireboard. The fireboard should be around ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) thick. To position a spindle into the fireboard, you need to make a small dip in the wood. Use a knife or sharp rock to carve a small circle that's the same diameter as the spindle you'll be using.^{[14]
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- The divot only needs to be about ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) deep.
Types of Wood for Fireboards:
Cedar
Balsam fir
Elm
Willow
Cottonwood
2
Place the spindle into the divot of the fireboard. Step on 1 end of the fireboard to keep it in place and crouch down onto your other knee so you're leaning over the fireboard. Put 1 end of the stick that you're using as a spindle into the divot you carved and hold the other end with your hand.^{[15]
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- The spindle is a piece of dried hardwood that's the width of your pinky or smaller.
3
Rub the spindle between your hands as you apply pressure. Position the end of the spindle between your palms. Then rub your hands so the spindle spins quickly. Use your entire hands to create friction instead of just rubbing the spindle between your palms. Apply force as you do this to make a small dark pilot hole.^{[16]
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- Your hands will work down the spindle. When they're about halfway down the spindle, return your hands to the top of the spindle and start rubbing again.
4
Cut a triangular notch into the middle of the pilot hole. Use a sharp knife to carefully cut a clean triangular opening into the center of the hole you just made with the spindle. You'll need to cut completely through the ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) fireboard.^{[17]
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- Making a clean notch will allow the powder to fall as you start your fire.
5
Put a scrap of wood under the fireboard and rub the spindle again. Once you've made the notch, put a thin piece of wood under the board. This will catch the dust and coal. Then rub the spindle through your palms until the fireboard smokes on its own.^{[18]
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- Remember to apply pressure to the spindle as you rub it.
6
Transfer the coal and dust to tinder and blow it to make a fire. The fireboard should continue to smoke once you set the spindle aside. Slowly remove the fireboard so any dust falls onto a scrap of wood. Then put the dust and the coal onto the tinder of the fire you built. Blow gently to light the tinder.^{[19]
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- Have your kindling and fuelwood close by so you can build the fire easily.

Warnings

Always keep children and pets far away from the fire.^{[20]
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Avoid squirting charcoal fluid or gasoline into the fire to get it going. These liquids are unpredictable and could make extreme flames flare-up.^{[21]
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