Safety is the number one consideration when starting a campfire. Not only for you and your fellow campers, but for the forests and land around you. Popular hiking trails are usually within conservation land home to precious native trees, bush, and animals. We’ve seen what can happen with wildfires in Australia and fires have also threatened national parks in New Zealand. Take these precautions to stay safe when lighting a campfire:

• Check fire restrictions: 

New Zealand: checkitsalright.nz

Australia: Visit your state’s fire authority, for example:

• NSW: rfs.nsw.gov.au

• VIC: cfa.vic.gov.au

• QLD: qfes.qld.gov.au

• Keep water nearby: It’s not always practical to have a bucket in the backcountry, but at the very least have a few pots and drink bottles filled with water and a water source (stream, river, lake, tarn) nearby. If that’s not possible, dig up a pile of dirt or sound for dousing the fire if needed.

• Never leave a fire unattended: Make sure someone is always responsible for watching the fire. Don’t light a fire and head off on a sunset hike or evening hunt. If you’re going to light a fire, be responsible for it.

• Extinguish completely: When you leave the camp, make sure the fire is fully extinguished with no smouldering embers or hissing sounds. We’ll go into this more below.

• Keep your distance: Light your campfire at least 3m away from tents and 10m away from huts or other buildings.

Follow this step-by-step process to prepare, light, and tend to your campfire responsibly. 

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

Having the right fuel is half the battle. Make sure to collect a good amount of materials for the different phases of lighting your campfire before you get started.

Important: Do not cut down any living trees or branches. Use dead trees or windblown branches.

• Tinder: Small, combustible material to catch a spark. You could carry a newspaper with you or collect lightweight, dry materials such as manuka or eucalyptus bark shavings, dry grasses, bracken fern, or even the lichen that grows on branches. You can even bring homemade firestarters like cotton balls soaked in Vaseline (or pre-made ones from the store).

• Kindling: Pencil-sized twigs and sticks that catch quickly from tinder. Collect a variety of thicknesses for best results. Look for dead standing branches rather than damp ground wood. You want a good-sized pile of kindling just in case it takes a while to get it burning.

• Firewood: Larger pieces of wood that sustain the fire once established. Dead beech or manuka are common in New Zealand. You want to have a mix of small, medium, and larger pieces.

Tip: If all the wood you can find is wet, try using a knife to strip off the outer bark. Usually, the inside of the wood is more dry. Also, dry wet wood next to the fire as you go to help it burn more cleanly.

Step 2: Choose the Right Location

Just because you’re in the wild doesn’t mean you should just light your fire ‘anywhere’. Be smart and intentional about choosing your campfire spot in the same way that you are with choosing a tent spot.

• Use DOC-designated fire pits where available (in New Zealand)

• Clear a 2-3m radius of leaves, grass, or flammable debris if building your own fire site.

• Choose flat ground of bare soil, gravel, or sand.

• Avoid areas with overhanging branches, long dry grass, or peat soil.

• Consider wind direction to keep smoke away from tents.

• Build a stone ring if possible to contain the fire.

Step 3: Build the Fire

There are several fire-building methods you can use. Choose based on your purpose (cooking, warmth, or long burn).

Teepee Fire

Steps:

1. Place a bundle of tinder in the centre.

2. Arrange kindling around it in a cone shape, leaving an opening for air.

3. Add progressively larger sticks around the structure.

4. Light the tinder inside the teepee.

Best for: Quick ignition, warmth, boiling water.

Weakness: Burns fast and needs constant fuel.

Log Cabin Fire

Steps:

1. Put tinder in the centre.

2. Lay two to four sticks parallel, then two to four more across, forming a square.

3. Stack layers upwards, leaving gaps for airflow.

4. Place kindling and tinder inside, then light it.

Best for: Cooking as it creates an even coal bed.

Weakness: Slower to build.

Star Fire

Steps:

1. Place tinder in the centre.

2. Lay large logs radiating out like spokes.

3. Push logs inward as they burn.

Best for: Long, fuel-efficient burns.

Weakness: Requires large logs and doesn’t produce many coals.

Pyramid (Upside-Down) Fire

Steps:

1. Lay large logs at the bottom.

2. Add smaller logs on top at right angles.

3. Continue layering smaller wood upwards.

4. Finish with tinder and kindling at the top, then light it.

Best for: Overnight burns, minimal tending.

Weakness: Slower to get going, not suitable in windy conditions.

Long Fire

Steps:

1. Place two long logs parallel with a small gap.

2. Build a small teepee or log cabin fire between them.

3. Push the long logs inward as they burn.

Best for: Cooking and radiant heat.

Weakness: Needs large, straight logs.

Step 4: Ignite the Fire

1. Light the tinder at the base of your structure using matches, a lighter, a flint, or a ferro rod.

2. Gently blow on the tinder to provide oxygen and help flames spread.

3. Allow kindling to catch fully before adding larger firewood.

4. Gradually build up the fire without smothering the flames.

Step 5: Extinguish the Campfire 

When you’re ready to leave your camp, allow plenty of time to put out your campfire properly so there’s no risk of it reigniting.

Here’s how to shut it down safely:

1. Let the fire burn down: Stop adding fuel well before you’re ready to sleep or leave camp. Allow flames to die into glowing embers.

2. Spread the embers: Use a stick or shovel to spread out coals and logs, exposing more surface area to cool quickly.

3. Douse with water: Pour water generously over the fire bed. Aim to soak all wood, ashes, and surrounding soil. Listen for hissing. If it’s still steaming, it’s not out yet.

4. Stir and repeat: Use a stick or shovel to mix ashes with water. Add more water until the ground is cool to the touch.

5. Check carefully: Place your hand just above the ashes to feel for heat. If it’s warm, keep adding water and stirring until it’s cold.

6. Cover with dirt: As an extra precaution you can cover the coals in dirt to reduce the risk of an ember being caught by the wind. However, don’t do this if it’s a public campfire that other people may want to use.

Golden Rule: If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave.

Can I light a campfire anywhere in New Zealand?

No. Campfires are only permitted in designated areas or when fire danger is low. Many regions have seasonal fire bans to reduce wildfire risk. Always check DOC fire rules or Fire and Emergency NZ before lighting a fire in New Zealand and the relevant state authority in Australia.

What type of campfire is best for cooking food?

The Log Cabin Fire is ideal for cooking because it produces a steady bed of coals and stable heat. The Long Fire also works well for billy boiling and spit-style cooking thanks to its even heat distribution.

Which campfire burns the longest overnight?

The Pyramid (Upside-Down) Fire is best for long, low-maintenance burns. By lighting it from the top, the fire gradually burns down through the layers, giving steady warmth through the night.

How do I start a campfire when the wood is wet?

Split larger logs to expose dry cores, carve feather sticks, and use fire starters from home (cotton balls with Vaseline, firelighters, or a ferro rod). Look for standing dead wood instead of damp fallen branches.

What is the safest way to put out a campfire?

The safest method is to drown, stir, and check. Pour water over the fire, stir ashes to expose hidden embers, and repeat until everything is cool to the touch. If it’s too hot to touch, it’s not safe to leave.

Are campfires dangerous in summer?

Yes. Summer in New Zealand and Australia brings high bushfire risk. In many regions, open fires are banned during this period. Always carry a gas cooker as a backup cooking method.

Can I burn rubbish in a campfire?

Avoid burning rubbish, especially plastics, treated wood, or cans. These release toxic fumes, damage the environment, and leave behind waste that doesn’t burn properly. Follow the number one camping rule: Leave no trace.