How To: Make a bonfire

How to Make a bonfire

You Will Need
* A fire extinguisher
* Permission from local authorities
* A large open space
* A shovel
* Large stones
* Two handfuls of small twigs
* An armful of medium-size twigs and branches
* About a dozen fuel logs
* Long fireplace matches
* Newspaper (optional)

Step 1: Prepare the fire pit
Dig a pit. Place a ring of large stones along the edge.

Step 2: Collect the wood
You'll need tinder, dry twigs eight to 10 inches long and no thicker than a pencil; kindling, pieces of wood eight to 24 inches long and no thicker than a wrist; and fuel logs, which can be up to 48 inches long and eight inches in diameter.

Step 3: Position the small twigs
Put a bundle of the small twigs between two short fuel logs in the center of your fire pit.

Step 4: Position the kindling
Lean two loose bundles of the larger branches against either side of the tinder pile.

Step 5: Stack
Lay two large logs on top of the stack, perpendicular to the two large logs at the bottom. Then, stack a few bundles of kindling between the logs and on top.

Step 6: Position vertical kindling
Lean larger, longer pieces of kindling vertically around the pile. Make sure to leave a gap in the kindling large enough for your arms to fit through, so you can light the tinder inside.

Step 7: Position the vertical fuel
Make a tripod around the kindling with the largest fuel logs; the logs should support each other where they meet at the top. Then fill in the empty spaces with more fuel logs, forming a tepee.

Step 8: Light the fire
Light the tinder or newspaper at the bottom of the pile and monitor the fire's progress. If the tinder needs more air, gently blow on the base of the pile until it catches fire.

Step 9: Fire maintenance
Maintain the fire by adding more logs like you would to any other fire. When the party's over, make sure to completely extinguish the fire before you leave the area.