Tell me you can relate to this feeling. You're in the backyard, ready for a campfire to just relax and enjoy a few moments of peace and serenity. You have your favorite people gathered and probably your favorite drinks on hand as well. You've got all the fixings for smores and the sticks to roast those sugary delights to the perfect level of doneness. What could go wrong? Well your fire might not light or stay lit. That's probably the most frustrating things that most of us have experienced at one time or another.
There are a few typical culprits to blame when that fire just won't light and I don't want to bore you with the science of fire but....I"m going to just a little bit. The components of fire make up a triangle - so 3 key components. Fuel, heat and oxygen. If you don't have all 3, you don't have a fire. Most likely your problem in not getting that fire to burn is with your fuel source.
Fuel - If your firewood is too wet, it will be very difficult to get started. Many experienced wood burners know that seasoned wood is the best to burn, meaning you didn't just cut down the tree today, you've let that cut up wood sit long enough to dry out. You also don't want to place a huge log into that fire pit expecting it to burn perfectly. It is best to start with smaller pieces and wait until those catch before adding those larger chunks. If you can't easily pick up the wood with one hand, it might be too big.
Heat - Fire is hot, but it takes a heat source to get a campfire going. Sounds like common sense right? Well you don't just set a lighter to a log and get a campfire. Like previously mentioned you need to start with smaller pieces that light easily and build up to a larger fire. If you add too large of piece too soon, you can actually put out the fire and remove that heat source.
Oxygen - This is just as important as Fuel and Heat. If you don't allow oxygen room to get in between the wood, you can suffocate your fire and it will go out or not light at all. That is why you see so many teepee structures used to get a fire going.
Next time you build a campfire, remember the triangle of fire and make sure you have allowed for all 3 components. I'd also like to point out that Speedy Blaze is kiln dried and moisture resistant and comes with Speedy Sparks to get that fire going. It is everything you need in a box!!
