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Fires are a staple of any campout, but unfortunately, rain can be too. How can you make a fire when everything is wet? With a good fire starter and some cleverly arranged logs, you can still make a fire that will last all night long. That’s why we’ve put together a straightforward guide to starting a fire with wet wood. If you don’t want to let a little rain keep you down, read on!

1

Collect pine needles and bark for tinder.

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  1. Search the area for dry pine needles, grass, moss, bark, wood chips, or wood shavings.[1] If they're all wet or you can’t find anything, use cotton balls, dryer lint, crumpled paper, or toilet paper, or similar materials you might have on hand.[2]
    • In wet conditions, add cooking oil or petroleum jelly to materials like cotton balls to make a DIY fire starter.
    • If you’re planning ahead, pack steel wool or magnesium shavings to include in your tinder. They burn hot and help dry out firewood in wet conditions.[3]
    • Pack or collect about 4 times as much tinder as you’d normally need to start a wet wood fire.[4]
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2

Grab an armful of small twigs for kindling.

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  1. Search dead trees (fallen or standing) for twigs you can snap off. Also look in the underbrush or for twigs and sticks that were shielded from the rain.[5] You’ll need about 4 times more kindling to start a wet wood fire than a regular one.[6]
    • If you can only find wet twigs, shave off the outer layers with a knife to get to the dry center.[7]
    • The ideal kindling sticks are thinner than the width of an adult finger and around 6 inches (15 cm) long.
    • If necessary, use a hatchet to split large logs open, revealing the dry wood inside. Then shave off dry pieces to use as kindling.[8]
6

Arrange the largest logs in a criss-cross pattern.

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7

Use matches or a lighter to light the tinder.

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10

Put out the fire completely when you're done.

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Tips

  • Even if it appears dry, try not to burn live (green) wood since it’s wetter inside than dead wood. It’s hard to light, smokes a lot, goes out frequently, and smolders at low temperatures.[23]
  • A great fire starter is essential for starting a wet wood fire. Plan ahead and pack a firestarter stick or some magnesium to bolster your tinder and kindling if you can.
  • For maximum safety, always try to build your fire in a fire ring or fire pit. This keeps the fire from accidentally spreading across a wider area.
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About This Article

Britt Edelen
Co-authored by:
Outdoor Educator
This article was co-authored by Britt Edelen and by wikiHow staff writer, Dan Hickey. Britt Edelen was an active member of his local Boy Scouts troop near Athens, Georgia from ages 8 to 16. As a Scout, he went on dozens of camping trips, learned and practiced many wilderness survival skills, and spent countless hours appreciating the great outdoors. In addition, Britt worked as a counselor for several summers at an adventure camp in his hometown, which allowed him to share his passion for and knowledge of the outdoors with others. This article has been viewed 31,049 times.
6 votes - 83%
Co-authors: 3
Updated: February 16, 2023
Views: 31,049
Categories: Fire Making
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 31,049 times.

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