How to Start a Fire: Emerge Survival Ultimate Guide

If you find yourself displaced from home and facing an emergency, fire is not just a source of warmth but also a crucial survival tool. It can provide light, help you cook food, purify water, and offer a sense of comfort. Starting a fire may seem daunting, but with the right tools and techniques, you’ll be able to get one going quickly and efficiently. Here’s a step-by-step guide on building a fire—even in challenging conditions—using one of Emerge Survival’s top products, the Fire Kit.

Step 1: Prepare Your Fire Site

To start, choose a safe location for your fire.

Clear the Area: Remove snow, leaves, or any other debris to create a safe and effective fire zone. You want to ensure there's no vegetation within several feet of the fire area to prevent any unwanted and dangerous spreading of the fire.
Create a Platform: If the ground is wet or snowy, it could be helpful to first lay a platform of dry wood to keep your fire base off the ground, helping it burn more effectively.

Step 2: Gather Your Materials

To build a fire, you need three types of fuel:

Tinder: This will catch the initial spark and get your fire started. Ideal tinder includes natural materials like wood shavings, pine cones, dried grass, leaves, and birch bark, whatever you can find in the area.
Kindling: These are slightly larger twigs, about 1/8 to 1/2 inch in diameter, which will help the fire grow once the tinder is lit.
Firewood: Larger branches and logs, ranging from 1 to 5 inches in diameter, are essential for maintaining a long-lasting fire. Fallen or dead branches are great, as they are already dry, but with a tool like the Emerge Hatchet, you can cut as much wood as needed to sustain your fire.

Pro Tip: Hardwoods burn longer, so they’re great for sustained fires.

Step 3: Ignite the Tinder

With the fire area and materials prepared, it’s time to start the fire:

Set Up the Tinder: Place your tinder in the center of your fire area or on top of the platform of wood.
Use the Fire Kit:

Expose the Plug Fibers: Take one of the fire plugs and bend it in half, twisting it to expose the fibers.

Light the Plug: Use the included ferro rod or matches, or your own lighter, to ignite the exposed fibers. If you are using the ferro rod, scrape it firmly to produce sparks directly onto the fibers.

Position the Plug: Once the plug is lit, place it in the center of tinder.

Blow Gently: Once the tinder catches, blow gently to feed the flame with oxygen, helping it grow.

Step 4: Add Kindling

As soon as the tinder is burning steadily:

Place the Kindling: Start adding kindling over the tinder, either in a tepee shape or crisscross pattern to allow for airflow. The kindling will catch fire from the burning tinder and allow the flames to build.
Gradually Increase Size: Once the kindling is well-lit, you can start adding slightly larger sticks, working your way up to the firewood.

Step 5: Build the Fire

After the kindling is burning, it’s time to arrange your firewood.

Add Firewood: Place your larger sticks and logs on the fire. Arrange them in a tepee shape or a log cabin style, which allows for ample airflow and a taller flame.
Sustain the Fire: Continue adding firewood as needed, placing additional logs every 45 minutes or so to maintain your desired fire size.

Step 6: Monitor and Extinguish

Always practice fire safety.

Keep Water or Dirt Nearby: Have a bucket of water or dirt nearby so you can quickly extinguish the fire if needed.
Proper Extinguishing: When finished, pour water over the fire or cover it with dirt until there are no glowing embers and no heat when you hover your hand over the area.

In emergency situations, a fire can be the key to survival. With Emerge Survival's Hatchet for cutting wood and our Fire Kit for reliably starting with ease, you’ll be well-prepared to handle any conditions thrown at you. Stay prepared, stay safe, and let Emerge Survival equip you with everything you need to start a fire no matter the situation.