How to Start a Fire Pit (Wood or Smokeless) the Easy Way

A fire pit should be the easiest fire you ever light. If yours takes a pile of newspaper, a lot of blowing, and half a bottle of lighter fluid, the problem is the method, not the pit.

What you need

  • Dry, seasoned firewood split small (wrist to forearm thickness). Kiln-dried bundles from the store work well.
  • A handful of kindling or a few very small splits.
  • One One Strike fire starter.
  • A match or lighter. That is all.

Standard fire pit (steel ring, stone, or chiminea)

  1. Place the fire starter in the center of the pit.
  2. Build a small teepee of kindling over it, leaving an opening on the side the wind is coming from.
  3. Lean 3 or 4 small splits against the kindling teepee.
  4. Light the edge of the starter through the opening.
  5. Once the splits are burning (5 to 10 minutes), add larger logs one at a time.

Smokeless fire pits (Solo Stove, Breeo, Cuisinart, Yukon-style)

Smokeless pits pull air up through holes in the bottom and burn off the smoke through vents near the rim. They want a fire that burns hot from the start.

  1. Make sure the ash pan and bottom vent holes are clear.
  2. Lay 3 or 4 small splits flat on the bottom grate, side by side.
  3. Put the One Strike starter on top of the splits in the center, with a little kindling around it.
  4. Light it. Within a few minutes you will see the secondary flames appear at the upper vents, which means the pit is running right.
  5. Keep the wood below the vent holes. Overfilling blocks the airflow and creates smoke.

Because the starter burns 30+ minutes, the pit reaches its smokeless temperature on its own even with kiln-dried wood that is a little damp from the night air.

Wind, damp wood, and other problems

  • Windy night: turn the teepee opening toward the wind so it feeds the fire, and keep the starter low in the pit.
  • Damp wood: the 30-minute burn is exactly for this. Give it time; do not add lighter fluid.
  • Smoky fire: wood is too big, too wet, or too tightly packed. Pull a log out and let it breathe.

Putting it out

Let the wood burn down to ash if you can. Then spread the coals, pour water slowly over everything, and stir until there is no hissing and the ashes are cool to the touch. Never leave a pit smoldering overnight.

Fire safety basics

  • Never use lighter fluid, gasoline or any accelerant with a fire starter. You do not need it.
  • Keep a bucket of water, a hose or a Class A extinguisher within reach.
  • Never leave a fire unattended, and never let children light a fire starter.
  • Check local burn bans and campground rules before lighting anything outdoors.
  • Burn only in a well-ventilated space. Indoor fireplaces and wood stoves need an open damper and a clean chimney.
  • Let ashes cool completely (24 hours is a good rule) before disposing of them in a metal container.

Shop the Box of 5 ($10) or try a single starter ($2). Family-owned and made in Edinburg, Texas. More guides on our How to Start a Fire page.

California Proposition 65 Warning

⚠ WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including wood dust and soot, which are known to the State of California to cause cancer, and carbon monoxide, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.

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