How to Build a Campfire in the Rain
Outdoor Hub Fans 07.05.11
Before traveling, always be prepared for anything and build a small kit to pack in case of emergency to build your campfire.
- Take kitchen matches and waterproof each with melted paraffin wax , after they harden up wrap each with wax paper. Melt the paraffin wax by placing in a small pan and place it in a larger pan filled with water. Never apply direct flame to the wax for risk of fire.
- Collect all the lint from your dryer you can and put it in a zip-lock bag or waterproof container.
- Always carry a sturdy knife of good small saw or hatchet.
- When needing to build a fire you can collect just the tips off of trees with no leaves for kindling.
- place the dryer lint on ground or leaves if ground is wet.
- Apply small twigs that you collected around the lint as if you were building a tepee. Add larger sticks around those to enlarge area.
- Take out one match to light the lint; you can strike it on any hard rough surface for it to light. Apply lit match to the lint and it will catch on fire.
- Even if the wood is wet, you can still us this method to start a fire. You may also find logs and split or chop the log to get to the center where the wood is dry and scrape the shavings from the center to use. Or find trees and scrape the bark off from the driest side of tree.
- You can hover over the area to block the rain or build a simple shelter using palmettos and sticks if in the south or boughs and sticks if from the north to help shield the area from the fire making process.
- Once fire starts do not crowd with wet straw or wet wood. You can use a bunch of small sticks until you get it hot and then slowly add wet sticks to keep it burning.
We have used this many times while camping and it always worked for me.
