There is no situation where a fire is more critical—or more difficult to achieve—than when the world around you is cold, damp, and soaking wet. The intense heat of a roaring fire is often the only thing standing between a survivalist and hypothermia.
Even if you are a pro at lighting campfires on a sunny afternoon, wet-weather fire starting is a different beast entirely. It requires patience, strategy, and specific knowledge of how wood and heat interact with moisture.
Here are 10 foolproof tricks to ensure you can get a blaze going when the clouds open up.
1. Stick with the Sticky Stuff
When the woods are wet, your best friends are needle-bearing trees like pine, fir, and spruce. Why? Because they produce sticky sap (pitch), which is highly flammable and water-resistant. Even when the exterior is damp, the resin inside acts as a natural accelerant. Look for dead twigs tucked underneath the protective canopy of these trees—they are often drier than branches found on the open ground.
2. Peel It All Off
Bark is designed by nature to protect the tree—often by resisting fire. In wet conditions, bark acts like a sponge, soaking up moisture that will kill your spark. Don't try to burn the wet outer layer. Instead, take the time to tear, carve, or knife-peel the wet bark off your sticks and kindling. You will often find perfectly dry wood hiding just beneath the surface, especially on standing dead vegetation.
3. Split Wood for Better Burning
Physics is on your side here. Just as you peel off the bark, you should split your larger kindling and fuel wood. Splitting hardwood exposes the dry inner grain that hasn't been touched by the rain. Furthermore, splitting wood reduces its mass relative to its surface area, allowing it to catch fire and heat up much faster than a whole, round branch.
4. Shape It Up: The Cone Method
Structure is everything. Many wet-weather fires fail because they are built too flat. Heat rises, and you need to capitalize on that. Build a tipi or cone shape about a foot tall using small twigs. Avoid low-lying structures like log cabins until the fire is established. A tall cone allows the rising heat to pre-dry the sticks above the flames before they ignite, creating a self-sustaining drying cycle.
5. Don't Be Afraid to Use a "Helper"
In a survival situation, there is no cheating. If you have artificial fire starters, use them. Fire starter cubes, gel packets, homemade cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly, or even a pocketful of dryer lint can be the difference between life and death. When moisture is fighting against you, these helpers provide the sustained flame needed to dry out your natural tinder.
6. Light from the Windward Side
This might seem counterintuitive if you're trying to protect a match, but once your tinder is lit, you want the wind to help you. Lighting the fire on the windward side (the side the wind is blowing from) allows the breeze to push the flames into the center of your fuel pile. This helps the fire engulf the structure faster and hotter.
7. Light It Low
Heat travels up. If you light the top of your tinder pile, the heat escapes into the air without doing any work. Always apply your match or lighter to the very base of your fire lay. This ensures that as the flame grows and heat rises, it pre-heats and ignites the material directly above it.
8. Use a Ton of Tinder
In dry weather, a handful of tinder might suffice. In wet weather, you need to double or triple that amount. Tinder is the fluffy, dry plant matter that catches the initial spark. Pack the center of your fire lay with as much dry tinder as you can scrounge up. The more you have, the longer that critical initial burn will last, giving your damp kindling a chance to catch.
9. Always Keep a Backup
Never put all your eggs in one basket. If you have gathered a nice pile of dry tinder, set a portion of it aside in a dry pocket or container. If your first attempt fails and soaks your primary tinder, this backup stash becomes your second chance at survival.
10. Skip the Pit: Build a Mound
Digging a fire pit is standard advice for dry, windy days, but it’s a disaster in the rain. Pits turn into puddles. Instead, build a slight mound of dirt or use a platform of rocks/logs to elevate your fire base. This keeps your fire out of the pooling water and ensures good airflow to the base of the flames.
Final Thoughts
Survival isn't about conquering nature; it's about working with it. The next time you are in the field, don't wait for an emergency to test these skills. Go out on a rainy day and practice. You might just surprise yourself with how quickly you can turn a cold, wet day into a warm, safe night.