4-7 sheets of newspaper

2 -3 handfuls of dry kindling, about 1/4-1/2" thick(1-1.5 cm) and 12-18" long (30-45 cm)

4-5 logs of firewood that have been split and seasoned

A pair of fire-proof or heavy leather gloves

Long wooden matches or a butane lighter

A fireplace screen, or a fireplace with enclosed glass doors

Optional:

3-4 pieces of fatwood kindling--a highly resinous wood that can be used in small amounts as a fire starter

A set of fireplace tools: a poker, a pair of tongs, a small shovel, a pail for ashes, and a broom

A flashlight (pocket torch) for rummaging around in the dark for suitable firewood. Get one you can easily tuck under your arm once your hands are occupied with holding the wood.

3-10 minutes to gather materials

5-10 minutes to assemble a fire

2torial #0702: Learn2 Make a Fire in a Fireplace Come on baby, light my fire... Gathering around a cheerful blaze and staring into its fiery depths--that's something that people from all walks of life can appreciate. It calls you back to an earlier time, when early humans huddled around fires for warmth and protection from animal predators. You feel some of the same satisfaction and security (even if the large predators of today are creditors and tax auditors). Although there are some differences between making a fire in a traditional fireplace and a wood-burning stove, this 2torial will assume you have a traditional fireplace, and will add notes for wood-burning stoves as needed. A fire constructed with perfect form and bone-dry materials will still fizzle out if you don't understand the role of the flue. The flue is the channel inside the chimney or stove pipe that circulates air and creates a draft, thus feeding the necessary oxygen to the fire. The flue has a kind of valve (or doorway) that opens or shuts off the flow of air through the chimney, known as the damper. A handle (or a chain or other device) opens and closes it, and it's usually located in the fireplace near the bottom of the chimney. For wood stoves, there's usually a handle located on the side of the stove, towards the top and at the back. Take a flashlight and familiarize yourself with the operation of your damper--and the position of its handle or chain when it's open or closed. This will prevent the unnecessary smoke-outs and bleating smoke detectors that inevitably follow careless damper operation. Step 1