How to Start a Fire in the Rain and Wind (PNW Edition)
As outdoor adventurers in the Pacific Northwest, a rainy camping or hiking trip is inevitable.
When rainy, windy weather becomes a part of your latest adventure, there’s nothing better than a nice, warm fire.
Learn how to start a fire in the rain and wind step-by-step, plus our top gear tips to prepare like a pro.
How to Start a Fire in the Rain (PNW)
Step 1. Location, Location, Location (find the right spot).
Find the best place to build a fire, camping by avoiding ditches and low ground. Yes, this does reduce wind flow, but it is also the spot where water collects the fastest. Instead, opt for elevated, dry soil with natural wind shelter.
Step 2. Create a windbreak
Once you’ve found a good dry, properly elevated location, create a wind break. A good windbreak could be a tree, a log/stump, or oversized rocks. Place your natural wind blocker around the outside of the fire pit.
You can also create a windscreen using a waterproof tarp. Keep the tarp at a safe distance from the flames to avoid any trouble Smokey the Bear would advise you about.
Step 3. Gather your fuel and keep it dry.
Pro tip: while the exterior of the wood is wet, if you brought a good pocket knife, you can peel back the bark and find dry kindling inside. Alternatively, you can split branches to expose dry heartwood.
Then, stack larger, wet firewood next to the fire pit area to help it pre-dry.
Step 4. Keep tinder and kindling dry.
Once you find kindling and tinder, keep them in dry, waterproof bags. Some good tinder to bring with you or find around your campsite includes:
- Birch bark - You can identify birch bark by its distinct horizontal lines (lenticels), its peeling, papery texture, and often a white or light-colored appearance
- Fatwood - Fatwood is the resin-impregnated heartwood of dead pine trees, often found in stumps and knotty branches, that acts as a natural, highly effective firestarter due to the presence of flammable pine resin.
- Cotton balls - Roll up some cotton wool into balls about an inch wide. They don't need to be any bigger as they produce a good flame at this size. Melt some petroleum jelly in a saucepan over a low heat until it's liquid. A tablespoon of PJ will make about six firestarters.
Keep your kindling inside your tent or under the tarp until needed.
Step 5. Set the Stage for the Spark
Start building your fire by laying down a dry base with bark and sticks. Add tinder and feather sticks, then build a log cabin of kindling over the top.
Keep plenty of gaps to leave space for airflow to fuel the fire.
The best waterproof fire starter camping products worth buying include:
- Stormproof matches
- Ferro Rod
- Magnesium
We recommend lighting the fire from the leeward side, so the wind drives the flame through the tinder.
Step 7. Baby the flame.
Once you have your fire lit, it’s time to nurture the flame. At this stage, it’s very easy for the fire to go out. Don’t rush the process.
Baby the flame by doing the following:
- Feed small sticks first, then gradually add larger sticks.
- Shield the flame with your body if needed.
- Be patient and don’t rush wet wood to ignite into a roaring flame.
Step 9. Build an ember bed + Reflect and retain heat
Part of learning how to start a fire in the rain and wind is knowing what to do once the fire is going.
Create a strong coal base to help your fire thrive. Coals sustain the heat through dampness. Next, you’ll want to lean larger logs across the embers so they catch flame from underneath—instead of above.
Finally, create a reflector wall consisting of logs/rocks behind the fire to bounce heat back and fight evaporation. Your reflector wall doesn’t have to be tall. A short one will suffice.
Rotate in pre-drying fuel and avoid evergreen boughs as overhead cover (flare risk), and maintain airflow to keep the fires lit and avoid oversized fires during a rainstorm.
If you do decide to use a tarp, pitch it high and angled so smoke vents away from camp. Sparks rise—keep plastic well above the thermal column.
How to Start A Fire In Windy Weather
Wind is a second issue that campers deal with. Knowing how to start a fire in windy weather is just as important as keeping it lit in the rain. The key here is shelter.
Start by digging a shallow hole. Next, set up a wind block, either a tarp or a wall. Then, build a little nest for your kindling to sit in. Once you’ve got it altogether, throw your tinder in and a bit more kindling over the top. Leverage the wind to feed your fire, and strike your fire igniter facing away from the wind shelter you put up.
With a wind block in place, and embers taking off, it shouldn’t be much of a problem to keep your fire lit even in windy conditions.
What to Avoid When Building a Fire in the Rain
Even with a good fire-building technique, small campfire mistakes can cost you a warm fire. Here are some common errors to steer clear of.
Don’t build your fire in low spots. Avoid ditches, depressions, and stream beds since downpours flood these areas fast.
Don’t start on soaked ground. Wet soil drains heat. Use sticks to create a flat, dry bed to build on.
Don’t forget airflow. Airflow is crucial to fire growth. Give your kindling and logs enough airflow to ignite and thrive.
Don’t forget to follow Leave No Trace Principles. Pick up any garbage or leftover kindling before you leave your campground.
Essentials That Make Starting a Fire in the Rain Easy
Every good technique is backed by even better gear. There are a few essentials you should pack to make it easier to start a fire in the rain and wind, and they include the following:
- Waterproof matches and survival gear
- Tarps and dry bags for keeping things dry
-
Durable camp lantern so you can see what you’re doing
For more camping and survival gear, check out our shop.
After you get your fire roaring, nothing is better than a campsite-cooked meal. Here’s the gear you actually need to cook with on your fire.
