How to Keep a Fire Going: How do I know if my firewood is dry enough?

It’s an age-old question: how do you keep a fire going? You may have heard that you need to use only the driest wood for kindling, but did you know there are actually other factors involved? The first step is to make sure your kindling is dry. This will help provide the heat needed to ignite the larger logs of wood. If this isn’t possible, then another option would be to use newspaper or paper towels instead of regular paper. These items burn more slowly and release less smoke than regular paper does.

The key to keeping a fire going is making sure that the kindling and wood are dry. The best ways to do this include:

Finding an area where there is no snow or rain accumulation
Using logs with bark removed on all sides, not just one side
Rotating your fuel source every day so the moisture content of the wood/kindling is evenly distributed
Using newspaper or paper towels instead of regular paper. These items burn more slowly and release less smoke than regular paper does.

These are the best ways to keep a fire going when you need it most! If these options don’t work for you, then another option would be to place your kindling in water overnight before use. This will allow much of the moisture content to leech out because the fibers swell up with water keeping them moist longer than normal. Don’t let this trick fool you though; if there is too much wood, dampness won’t matter at all since they’ll never ignite! Now go forth and start that campfire!

The best ways to keep a fire going:

Finding an area where there is no snow or rain accumulation
Using logs with bark removed on all sides, not just one side
Rotating your fuel source every day so the moisture content of the wood/kindling is evenly distributed

Check to see whether the damper is fully open

If it is closed, open it all the way to allow oxygen into your fire pit or fireplace chimney.

It is important to note that if your fire pit or fireplace chimney damper has a screen, do not open it all the way because this will allow embers and ash to be blown into the room.

If you are using wood kindling to start your fire, ensure that they are completely dry. If possible, keep them near an outdoor space heater so they can quickly become warm enough for combustion without having too much moisture in them. However, there aren’t always heaters around when starting fires outside!

Therefore, even if you cannot find any heat sources nearby make sure at least one of the logs (the bigger ones) is also dried well enough before adding it to your existing flame source(s). This will allow enough heat to be transferred from the bigger logs into your smaller kindling pieces.

Warm The Chimney

You will need to warm the chimney of your wood fire stove before you can start a proper fire. Most people wait until they have their logs stacked and ready, but this is not necessary if it’s just for warming up. Instead, open the damper on your stove so that all of its heat goes into your home rather than out through the flue.

If possible, leave the door open as well since some air movement might help make sure everything heats evenly without causing drafts or blowback from too much oxygen flow. Keep in mind that opening these dampers may reduce how quickly you are able to get things started once you close them back down during actual use!

Make Sure Your Kindling is Dry

Dry kindling will burn more easily and at higher temperatures than wet kindling, which will require a lot of oxygen to stay lit. If you know that it’s going to be raining or snowing outside when you plan on lighting your fire (which defeats the purpose anyway), then make sure that you bring in enough dry tinder from other sources like dried leaves, grass clippings, paper towels soaked with vegetable oil if available; anything small and combustible can help get things started.

You may want to leave some newspapers out as well since they should light even while still damp depending on how thickly they are packed together. Don’t expect them to stay lit for very long, but they can be the first step to getting that initial flame.

Don’t forget your firewood! A pile of wet logs will not burn easily and you’ll have wasted time stacking them up if they never get enough heat to light on their own.

Putting a few small pieces at the base is fine since some moisture isn’t necessarily bad for wood when it’s burned in moderation, however anything larger than about three inches across likely won’t catch without help from some kindling or even just dry paper towels soaked with vegetable oil.

Don’t go overboard trying to find super-dry logs either; while this may work in desert climates where nothing ever seems to grow, ideally you want your fuel source here in Michigan to be around 40% moisture content.

Maintain The Air Supply

One of the key reasons that fires die down is because they are deprived of oxygen. Ensure that you have a way to get air into your fire pit or fireplace so it can burn at its full potential…

When the kindling is dry, it will be much easier to maintain an open flame – and there’s nothing more frustrating than trying to keep a new fire going while struggling with damp wood! If possible, buy several bundles in advance so you’ll always have some on hand for when one goes out.

A good rule-of-thumb is “the bigger the better;” split logs may take longer to catch but once burning they produce an ample amount of heat. This will also allow you plenty of time during which additional smaller pieces can be cut and prepared for the fire.

Build The Fire Correctly

Build the fire in a deep pit with no surrounding flammable materials.

Make sure there is nothing around that can catch on fire, and only use rocks to surround it. Keep your kindling away from any heat sources like direct flames or coals so they don’t ignite too quickly. Stack sticks and logs parallel to each other for optimum airflow – air needs fuel!
Use dry wood because wetness will not burn but instead steam until you get enough oxygen going through the pile of wood before lighting it up again. If possible, place stacks of different sizes together during construction. This creates more surface area allowing access to oxygen when needed most which will help build up embers faster than if everything was stacked perfectly flat on top of each other.
Light the fire in a safe place where it can’t spread or cause problems for anyone, especially at night when visibility is low and there are more people out walking around. If you have to light up your campfire on a windy day, make sure that all embers are mostly sheltered from the breeze so they don’t blow away before igniting into flames.

Do not leave fires unattended because this could easily lead to disaster if something goes wrong! Make sure everyone knows how to properly put them out with water instead of just smothering it with dirt which will only keep oxygen from getting through making it easier for it burns hotter next time after being exposed again during the next dry season.

Burn Room Temperature Wood

Choose dry pieces of wood to burn first. For a traditional fireplace, stick with logs – they will keep burning for hours and produce the most heat. If you’re using an outdoor fire pit or campfire, make sure to gather your kindling around the same time as your main fuel sources (logs). You want them all to be very dry.

Make sure the fire is built on a base of non-flammable material. Some common options are sand, rocks, or bricks. The heat from combustion will eventually burn away at this layer and damage your containment system – so if you’re using brick pavers to build your fire pit make sure they don’t directly touch the ground!

When burning wood in an indoor fireplace, keep plenty of glass doors open throughout the duration of the burn (this doesn’t apply for outdoor fires). This allows more oxygen to flow through which helps create an effective flame and maintain consistent heat levels. Closing off rooms with closed glass doors can cause CO buildup due to incomplete fuel combustion – not good for anyone’s health!

Burn Hardwood Logs

Burning hardwood logs is the best way to get a long-lasting fire, your kindling will be dry and ready for you when you go out to start another. If the wood has been seasoned it should burn up to 18 hours or longer depending on the size of the log.

Another benefit from burning hardwood over softer woods like pine is that there won’t be any creosote buildup in your chimney; this makes chimneys safer and less likely to catch flammable items such as dried leaves thrown into them by the wind. The smoke produced will also smell better than using softwood which can have a smoky odor after being burnt.

Keep logs off the ground if possible
Use kindling that is small and dry to start a fire
Burn hardwood over softwoods like pine, which can lead to creosote buildup in chimneys. Softwood also has an unpleasant odor after being burnt. Hardwoods have better burning properties so they produce less smoke with no smoky smell at all!

Last but not least: keep your tools organized as best as you possibly can…because who likes digging through their shed for five hours looking for stuff?! Also, just because I said one of these things doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy every single time – sometimes we fail on the organization or getting a nice strong flame going right away. We just have to learn from our mistakes and try again another time!

Add A Couple of Logs At A Time

A good way to keep a fire going is to add two logs at a time. This will prevent the flames from being smothered and allows oxygen into your kindling, which will help it burn better.

Don’t Add Large Logs Too Early Into A Fire

When you are trying to keep a fire going, it is important that if you have large logs in the fire that they stay away from being too close to the flame. Large pieces of wood will not catch on fire when they are right next to burn flames because there is not enough oxygen for them to burn.

They need time and heat before they get hot enough. If these big logs start getting hot while still directly under flames, then instead of catching onto your kindling or other smaller sticks, they can actually smother the embers of what’s already burning down into ashes which means no more potential ignition source even with new wood added at this point!

Keep Your Chimney Clean

Stoked fires produce more soot. If you have a chimney, cleaning it at least once per year is important to help ensure that your flue does not become clogged. Stained glass can be cleaned with an acid brush and powdered soapstone, but other methods may work as well for this task. Check the owner’s manual of your wood stove or contact the manufacturer if you are unsure how to clean yours properly.

Examine your wood. If you are using the same type of wood every time, you will be able to tell if it is dry or not by sight and smell. It should look similar to how it did when you first bought it (but don’t expect it to actually feel like new). Smell the top side after picking up a piece; if there isn’t an obvious difference between this step and step #0, move on to checking for moisture content.

Burn Hotter Fires

You can start a fire by either using matches or lighting the kindling on fire with something like gasoline. The best way to make sure a campfire is going to burn hot and long is if it has fuel, oxygen, heat, and enough room for airflow in order to keep burning at its peak performance level. If you want your fire going longer than an hour, think about how much wood will be needed over time per person that’s attending this event?

Also, consider whether you have all of these materials available such as larger pieces of wood stacked up next to where the bonfire pit area is located designed for everyone who wants some extra warmth from their bodies when they’re sitting around enjoying good times together!

Clear a space for the fire in your Fireplace or Stove

Keep your Fireplace or Stove clean and free of debris. If you are using a fireplace, clear out the grate in front of where you want to build the fire by moving any existing logs into another area (for example, behind the screen door). This will ensure plenty of airflow for your kindling once it begins burning. Cleaning up prior to building a new fire is also an important step in preventing smoke backdrafts from getting sucked into your chimney which can be dangerous!

Make sure your Fireplace or Stove is clean. Throw out any ashes that have built up inside the stove and wipe down any dirty surfaces with a damp cloth to remove the dust which could potentially catch fire easily due to its flammability.

Start by laying some crumpled newspaper on top of the grate if you are using a fireplace, otherwise place it in your Fireplace or Stove at one end for kindling before adding larger logs onto it once these small pieces start burning successfully. If you are using wood pellets then you will need to use an appropriate type of starter fuel instead but this should be readily available from most supermarkets etc.

Find a Fire Starter

The first step to keeping a fire going is finding the right kindling. Dry, dead branches and leaves work well as kindling. You can find them under trees or shrubs that are growing in an area where you won’t build your fire (such as next to buildings). The best way…

Build the Base of Your Fire with Small Pieces of Wood

Fir cones, pinecones, and twigs can also be used to start a fire. Make sure they are dry so the wet wood will not catch on fire.
Anything that is small enough to fit into your palm and burns well when lit should work fine as kindling.
Paper can work as well, but it is more likely to cause a fire hazard.
The kindling should be dry enough so that it lights easily and burns quickly. This will help you get the bigger pieces of wood lit before they burn out on their own.
Make sure there is plenty of air circulating around your pile for good combustion.
You want the base of your fire large enough to catch all those logs on fire successfully. A small amount won’t do much at all!

Light the kindling and allow it to Catch Fire

Use the right kind of wood. You want dry, small pieces that will catch fire easily. If you’re using wet or green branches to get your fire going, it’ll take much longer and be more difficult than if you use dried-out twigs and sticks (this is where having an ax can come in handy).
These are usually found near bushes, grasses, etc., however, make sure they aren’t poisonous! Pine needles burn great but certain kinds of pine trees secrete resin which when burned may cause carbon monoxide poisoning – never good! It’s best to stay away from them until you know for certain what type of plant/tree it belongs to. A lot of plants like conifers have pitch inside their bark – this is why pine trees catch on fire so easily.
Make sure to gather a lot of small twigs and sticks as well, not just the larger pieces. For one thing, you don’t want your kindling pile (the smaller pieces) all in one area – it should be spread out, or else they might fall over before catching the bigger logs on the fire. Also, make sure that there are enough branches sticking up from the ground because this will help air circulate better and allow for flames and sparks to rise into the air more quickly (and safely). The flame rises upward but also spreads outward, especially if there’s wind where you’re at — try to avoid too much-exposed grass/dried leaves though!

Add fuel when necessary to Keep the Fire Going

When you need to refuel the fire, make sure your fuel is dry. You can always tell if it’s going well by its color and smoke coming from the wood. If there isn’t any heat or very little heat coming from a piece of burning wood it means that either oxygen has been cut off or moisture in the wood needs to be dried out before use.

I know for a fact that some people prefer wetter woods like pine when they’re cooking because of all the sap – but I don’t recommend using green/wet hardwoods unless you have no other choice (and then only use the smallest twigs since they do burn fast). A couple of pieces on my personal “to get” list are: pecan, black walnut, and hickory.

The best times to chop up your firewood is early morning or evening when the wood has had a chance to air out. This will dry it out and make shopping easier for you as well. If the weather forecast calls for rain, I highly recommend not cutting any at all until it’s passed because wet & green woods should never be used even if they are small twigs. The only exception would be in an emergency situation where you have no other way of getting them – such as buying some kindling from your local hardware store (which also wouldn’t burn very long).

Use a Poker to remove any Ash from inside of the Fireplace preventing an unsafe situation

Dry Kindling is important for keeping a fire going. Make sure that the kindling you are using is dry to ensure it catches light easily and quickly. Dry, small sticks or twigs make excellent tinder since they instantly catch fire when struck by hot sparks from your flint-and-steel device which creates an easy way to start a campfire in wet conditions.

As long as there’s enough oxygen around them, the little embers will keep smoldering even if put out with water! If you’re looking into survival skills then this article about starting fires without matches should be helpful too!

Make sure you have a Working Smoke alarm in Case of Emergencies

Having a working smoke alarm in your home is an important safety measure. In the event of a fire, it will provide you with early warning and time to make a safe exit.

A fire can quickly get out of control. If this happens, don’t hesitate to run outside and call 911 immediately from a neighbor’s home or cell phone if you cannot safely return inside your home.

Your clothes may smell like smoke even after they have been dried in the dryer for over an hour so it is important to ventilate properly when you are done drying them by opening windows and doors to let fresh air circulate throughout the house before turning on any fans or using the heating/AC systems that re-circulate stale indoor air pollution.