Find a suitable fire area. If you do not have a man-made fire pit, clear an area of all flammable material 3 feet (0.9 m) in diameter. Then dig a hole 10–12 inches (25.4–30.5 cm) wide by 6 inches (15.2 cm) deep. This is your fire pit.
Find suitable tinder. (Charred cloth, birch bark, dried leaves/grasses, or other airy and fine materials are great. If you can find nothing dry, use bits of your own clothing, the contents of your wallet or purse, or anything which you may have on you which will take fire.) Other tinder materials: Dry milkweed fluff (found in the fall) Paper gum wrappers Frayed wooden stick Dried moss or lichen (found on the ground or on rocks) Pine bark or pine needles (very flammable) Pine cones Cotton ball, may have Vaseline, chapstick (it's mostly wax), or alcohol on it to help it burn Dried leaves or grasses Waxed paper from food or candy bars Birthday candles, especially joke candles that don't blow out
Don't use paper matches (the ones that look like thin cardboard). They burn out very easily. Use wooden ones. But if all you have is paper, don't give up; use them but remember they burn out more easily.
Light the match firmly but carefully and cup your hand around it.
Light the tinder in more than one place. (3 or 4 corners usually work).
If it does not burst in to flame but smolders, blow gently but consistently until it does.
Put bigger and bigger sticks or leaves on until you have a raging fire with little or no smoke. But be careful to not smother the fire. Add sticks slowly making sure the flame does not get smaller.
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