I'm starting to expand from day hiking into multi-day trips, and it's time to improve my fire-making skills. Was out in the woods this weekend during some rain, and my friends and I had trouble getting a fire going under our tarp. I thought, "what would /out/ do?" and started to debark and baton logs, which actually worked a treat. Ended up having comfy fires for both that night and the following morning.
This is the thread to share knowledge and experiences related to campfires. If you're new like me, come learn. If you're an old hand, come help out the rest of us, and maybe you'll even pick up some new tips.
>packing in supplies: do you prefer lighters, matches, flint/ferro, bushcraft alternatives? do you bring homemade tinder? what do you carry to process wood?
>gathering materials: how do you find/select plant parts and species that will light easily, burn long, produce low smoke, or have other helpful properties?
>starting the fire
>safety and legality: what precautions do you take to keep your fire under control? what are the laws about making fires in your area? etc...
>the reward: you have a roaring fire going and a stack of logs next to you. now what?
>your preferred squatting posture
>post stories