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How to Start Your Fire

Here are a few videos found on you tube which can be very helpful. If your having difficulty getting your fire going or just want to review how to, then please watch one or more of these videos and save yourself frustration when you should be enjoying your fire.

One thing the videos didn't really explain but is important to understand is that a fire ALWAYS has 3 Elements:

1) Heat (kindling, shredded non glossy news paper or Fire starter mini logs)
A piece of a firewood by itself is very difficult to start with just a match, so you first need to create a small fire with kindling or
shredded newspaper or even better a manufacturer mini fire starter log.

2) Oxygen (air flow) If in a fireplace Be sure your flue is open, Build your fire on a rack so you have air flow from underneath
the firewood, use a billow to blow air in the beginning stages to get the fire hot or anytime it appears to not be burning. Place your firewood pieces either in a teepee or criss cross pattern or
any other method that allows good air flow to get in between the logs and is also safe and wont allow the logs to tumble or roll out off the fireplace or designated burn area..

3) Fuel (firewood)
So keeping this in mind choose the fuel (firewood) that is the easiest to get burning. That would mean using the driest and the thinner pieces of firewood first, you can burn the heavier and larger pieces once you have a robust fire burning or at a later date. It is also a good idea to set any pieces you suspect have a high moisture content close to a burning fire to aid in their future burn potential. You can tell if your firewood is dry simply by knocking two pieces of firewood together they will make a sound, if it's a hollow sound its dry, if it thuds it still has a high moisture content and may not be ready for immediate burning.

Note: In response to a few comments made by the author of this video....Perhaps we are not typical of other Craigs List Firewood dealers....But our wood is sold seasoned, We typically store piles of logs on our lot for one to two years, It is possible to occasionally receive some pieces that have higher moisture content due to being split from huge logs, that never fully dry in the center until after they have been split and aired for awhile, simply use these pieces last and not first or sit them close to a burning fire to finish off the drying process. Also we always deliver at least as much as promised and typically we are told it is more than our competition or more than expected. And last if there is ever an issue simply let us know we will take care of it promptly..your satisfaction is our Number One Goal...ALWAYS!.

Here is a shorter video but not as informative, if your in a hurry this will probably still help:

How to Start your Fire