Fires are a staple of any campout, but unfortunately, rain can be too. How can you make a fire when everything is wet? With a good fire starter and some cleverly arranged logs, you can still make a fire that will last all night long. That’s why we’ve put together a straightforward guide to starting a fire with wet wood. If you don’t want to let a little rain keep you down, read on!

1

Collect pine needles and bark for tinder.

  1. Search the area for dry pine needles, grass, moss, bark, wood chips, or wood shavings.[1] If they're all wet or you can’t find anything, use cotton balls, dryer lint, crumpled paper, or toilet paper, or similar materials you might have on hand.[2]
    • In wet conditions, add cooking oil or petroleum jelly to materials like cotton balls to make a DIY fire starter.
    • If you’re planning ahead, pack steel wool or magnesium shavings to include in your tinder. They burn hot and help dry out firewood in wet conditions.[3]
    • Pack or collect about 4 times as much tinder as you’d normally need to start a wet wood fire.[4]
  2. Advertisement
2

Grab an armful of small twigs for kindling.

  1. Search dead trees (fallen or standing) for twigs you can snap off. Also look in the underbrush or for twigs and sticks that were shielded from the rain.[5] You’ll need about 4 times more kindling to start a wet wood fire than a regular one.[6]
    • If you can only find wet twigs, shave off the outer layers with a knife to get to the dry center.[7]
    • The ideal kindling sticks are thinner than the width of an adult finger and around 6 inches (15 cm) long.
    • If necessary, use a hatchet to split large logs open, revealing the dry wood inside. Then shave off dry pieces to use as kindling.[8]
3

Split large logs open to expose dry wood (if you can).

4

Make a small platform with logs or rocks.

6

Arrange the largest logs in a criss-cross pattern.

  1. Turn them so the driest side is facing the center. Make sure to leave about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of space between the logs and the kindling for air flow.[14]
    • The top side of the logs should be level with or slightly taller than the top of the kindling teepee. If they’re not, stack another log on top to achieve that height.
    • Stack 2 more logs on top of the base layer. Lay them perpendicular to the bottom logs to create a criss-cross or hashtag shape.[15]
7

Use matches or a lighter to light the tinder.

  1. Once the kindling is lit, the heat will start to dry out the fuel logs as well. Keep adding tinder and kindling to the flames until the fuel logs catch on fire too.[16]
    • The driest logs on the bottom will burn first, which will help dry out the wetter logs on top.[17]
    • If it’s windy, make a shield with a stack of wet logs. This keeps the heat from blowing out of the fire and offers additional protection from the elements.[18]
  2. Advertisement
10

Put out the fire completely when you're done.

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement

Tips

  • Even if it appears dry, try not to burn live (green) wood since it’s wetter inside than dead wood. It’s hard to light, smokes a lot, goes out frequently, and smolders at low temperatures.[23]
  • A great fire starter is essential for starting a wet wood fire. Plan ahead and pack a firestarter stick or some magnesium to bolster your tinder and kindling if you can.
  • For maximum safety, always try to build your fire in a fire ring or fire pit. This keeps the fire from accidentally spreading across a wider area.
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement

About This Article

Anthony Porter
Reviewed by:
Outdoorsman and Survival Expert
This article was reviewed by Anthony Porter and by wikiHow staff writer, Dan Hickey. Anthony Porter is a nature educator, archer, and outdoorsman based in South Lake Tahoe, California. He is an Outdoor Survival expert, and educates millions around the world through his social media presence as “Outdoor Anthony”. His videos have turned him into a viral sensation on TikTok & Instagram, where he has over 400k followers. He is the current Communications Director of the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, promoting wildlife stewardship and preservation on print media, TV, and radio. Anthony has also showcased his outdoor prowess as a recurring yearly TV athlete as NBC's the Archery Ninja on American Ninja Warrior. He is also the producer, editor and Host of the Orangutan Podcast, discussing rainforest conservation initiatives with Dr. Gary Shapiro, famous for teaching orangutans symbolic sign language. As a professional educator for the better part of a decade, Anthony has explored 20 countries, and has taught people of all ages across the United States. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Parks and Recreation Management from Northern Arizona University, and earned an MBA from Cal Poly Pomona with a concentration in sustainable Marketing, and is always looking to dive right into the next adventure. This article has been viewed 37,074 times.
6 votes - 83%
Co-authors: 4
Updated: December 11, 2025
Views: 37,074
Categories: Fire Making
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 37,074 times.

Did this article help you?

Advertisement