How to Build the Perfect Fire at Home This Winter

Keep your family safe and warm this season with this guide to building perfect fire in your home this winter through the cold winter months.

Prep Time 10

Lay the Foundation
First, place your fireplace grate in the center of the firebox. Crumple several sheets of newspaper and put them under the grate. The newspaper will serve as your tinder, the initial fuel that catches the spark.
Add the Kindling
Next, lay your kindling on top of the grate. Kindling consists of small, dry sticks and twigs that ignite easily. Arrange them in a crisscross pattern over the newspaper, leaving plenty of space for air to circulate. Softwood kindling works wonderfully here.
Build the Log Cabin
This step is the heart of starting the perfect fire in your home this winter. Place two of your smaller, seasoned hardwood logs on either side of the kindling, parallel to each other. Then, place two more logs on top of the first two, perpendicular to them, to form a square. This tactic creates the "log cabin" structure.
Continue stacking one or two more layers in the same manner. The open center allows air to flow freely, feeding the flames as they grow.
Light the Fire
Using a long match or a fireplace lighter, ignite the newspaper in several places. The flames will catch the kindling, which in turn will ignite the larger logs. As the fire begins to burn, you will hear a gentle crackle as the wood catches.
Once the fire is burning steadily, you can carefully add more logs as needed. Place new logs onto the hot coals, making sure not to smother the flames.

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