Video:How to Build a Low-Impact Campfire

Transcript:How to Build a Low-Impact Campfire

Hi, I am Danielle Lessovitz for About.com.

There is nothing quite like a good camping trip, spending time outside under an open sky, sitting around a warm campfire with friends. But those campfires can be tricky. How do you build a fire without burning down the forest around it? Today, I am going to show you how to build a low-impact fire that does little damage to the critters, trees and birds living in the forest around you.

Find a Good Spot to Build a Low-Impact Campfire

Let's start with our location. If the campsite where you are staying provides a fire ring than you are ready to go. If not you are going to have to make the location for your campfire. Campfires need to be at least 10-15 feet away from anything flammable -- tents, trees, debris, you name it. Let's measure it out.

Once you have found your spot, you will need to do two things. The first is to look up and make sure that there is nothing hanging closely above you. Pine trees are especially flammable. The second thing look down to make sure that ground is flat and not too windy.

Build the Base of the Low-Impact Campfire

Now will want to build our low-impact base. There are a number of ways to do this, but today I am going to show you two. The first is to use a fire pan. I use an old pizza tin and place it on the ground. This makes for easy cleanup and protects the ground from the fire.

If you are feeling extra ambitious you can use a tarp. First, look for a piece of disturbed ground, say a fallen tree. Collect the dirt in the tarp and transport it to your campfire location. Spread out the tarp, flatten the soil and make and indent where your fire will be.

Now for the fun part, searching for our fuel. We want to collect only fallen branches, twigs, leaves and debris. Never take from a plant or tree that is still alive. In some forests, fallen debris is an important part of the eco-system, so check to see if you will need to bring in your own firewood.

Light the Low-Impact Campfire

Next, let's fetch our starter fuel. Leaves, pinestraw, dried grasses and bits of bark will work best. We will need a handful.

Place the starter fuel in a small pile and build the structure of your campfire around it. Here are three basic formations, The Log Cabin, the Tepee and the Lean-to, I learned how to make this one in girl scouts.

Now with a match, light the kindling.

I will blow on the flame a little bit to help the larger branches catch. Once everything is burning I can go ahead and add larger branches to the fire. Adding leaves to fire will make more smoke and prevent bugs. Never burn synthetic waste materials.

Put Out the Low-Impact Campfire

For a low-impact fire we will want to keep the fire burning until it has burned the wood into ash. Pour water over the ash until it stops making a hissing sound. Now stir the ashes and pour again. If you are using the tarp and dirt method, first separate the ashes then pack them out or spread them over a large area of ground.

No one will even know you were there. And that is how it should be. Thanks for watching. To learn more, visit us on the web at About.com.