Building the Perfect Fire

Don't get left out in the cold! A definitive guide to the essential skill of setting, lighting, and maintaining a blaze both indoors and out.

This go-to-guide for turning wood into heat, including starting a fire with everything from flints to forearms in any type of weather; tinder easily found in nature; identifying and gathering the best kindling and types of wood; efficient splitting and stacking configurations for different needs, such as cooking; and how to safely put out a blaze.

Not just for survival, Building the Perfect Fire will also discuss using wood to create a welcoming fire, such as the crackling from birch wood or the colorful flames from an old apple tree.