How to safely start a fire in a fireplace that lights easily every time

• Before starting a fire, open the fireplace damper so smoke can properly exit through the chimney.
• Use kiln-dried firewood for the cleanest burn and least chimney build-up.
• Kindling lights quickly, but knowing how to properly arrange larger logs ensures a long-lasting flame.

While a fireplace fire can create a cozy, warm environment for food, drinks, and friends, fire is still dangerous and can have dire consequences when mishandled. Properly preparing for a fire not only brings the best out of a fireplace, but also keeps everyone safe as they enjoy the flames.

In addition to following safety precautions, "[using] high-quality wood is definitely the biggest trick" to starting a clean-burning fire with minimal difficulty, says Leroy Hite, founder and CEO of Cutting Edge Firewood. "It's just like cooking without high-quality ingredients. Your food's not going to taste as good."

And if you're not as familiar with flames, remember that starting a fire comes down to "some very simple, scientific things. More oxygen and more fuel means a bigger, faster-burning fire. Less oxygen and less fuel means a smaller fire," says Hite.

Before you get started

Preparing a fireplace for a fire takes some time and planning, but it's essential for safety and enjoyment. "A fire in the right place, in the right setting … is like a beautiful sunset that hits all your senses," Hite says, but when things go wrong, "there's no end to how terrible it could be."

Follow these protocols to keep you and your home safe:

Make sure the chimney is in working order. A professional chimney cleaning checks for animal nests and any chimney deterioration. According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, you should get a chimney sweeping at least once a year. If you use wood that doesn't burn cleanly or have fires every day, "you should get it cleaned more than once a year," Hite says. Hite recommends getting your chimney swept in the spring or summer, since it can take months to book a chimney sweeping service by the time it's already cold.

Prep the fireplace. If there's ash in your fireplace from a previous fire, put on fire-proof gloves, and use a metal shovel to transfer them to an ash can, or a fire-proof metal bucket. "Ash in and of itself isn't bad," says Hite, and leaving a thin layer in the fireplace "protects the bottom of the fireplace from the heat and will make it last longer."

Since hot coals can last for days after a fire has died, do not leave an ash can inside or anywhere flammable. Wait about a week before disposing, whether by throwing them out or reusing them as compost or garden-pest deterrent.

Prepare the damper and flue. The flue is the passage that allows smoke and gas to exit the chimney. The flue is controlled by the damper, which is the mechanism that adjusts the airflow. Make sure to completely open the damper: a blocked damper causes smoke to billow into the home, and in some fireplaces, Hite says, it can be difficult to open once the fire is started.

You may also need to prime the flue. Sometimes, smoke flows inside even when the damper is open. This happens when cold air inside the flue flows down, forcing smoke out instead of letting it up. To prevent this, prime the flue first by rolling up several sheets of newspaper into a torch-like shape, lighting one end, and holding the lighted end in the flue area. The flue is properly primed when smoke from the torch flows up the flue instead of into the room. Repeat with more torches as necessary.

Know where your fire extinguisher and gloves are. "You should always have a fire extinguisher close at hand that everybody knows exactly where it is," says Hite.

Heat-resistant fireplace gloves allow you to adjust hot and even on-fire logs safely when rearranging a fallen or shifted log to a safer, more stable position.

Choosing the best firewood

Once a fireplace is prepped, there are three components to building a fire:

• Fire starter refers to both an ignitor — a match, or a lighter — and tinder, fuel that lights extremely easily. "The tinder is kind of like kindling for kindling," says Hite.
• Kindling is bigger than tinder, and "generally the same length of the logs, but half an inch in diameter," says Hite.
• Logs vary in size and quality. Keep in mind the dimensions of your fireplace when selecting firewood — it should sit comfortably on the grate inside the fireplace — and get a variety of diameters.

When it comes to firewood quality, avoid wood that hasn't been sufficiently dried. Any wood with moisture will generate excess smoke and lead to dangerous creosote build-up in flues, which can lead to chimney fires.

Look specifically for firewood that "has been kiln-dried for at least 48 hours at a high temperature" and has never been seasoned. Firewood that's been kiln-dried right after it's been cut has the cleanest and most consistent burn. "It never sees outside, so it's always bug- [fungus-, and mildew-] free," says Hite.

Look also for hardwoods, which burn for significantly longer and put off more heat over time than softwoods. As for hardwood types, it's a matter of preference. "The best three are oak, hickory, and cherry," Hite says. "Oak is the standard, a staple. Hickory burns a little longer, … has a slightly more bold aroma, and is our most popular species. Cherry has a subtle sweet aroma that many of our customers absolutely love."

Quick tip: Newspaper and lint can be used as tinder. While neither burns as cleanly as natural tinders, it's an opportunity to reuse something that will otherwise be discarded.

How to make a fire with the log cabin method

The log cabin method is "definitely my favorite, the most simple [method]," says Hite. "It's sturdy, it's easier, and you can make a bigger, more beautiful fire with the log cabin method. You have the whole thing on fire at the same time."

It's also the best method for keeping a fire going: as spent logs fall through the grate, keep stacking more logs in the same log cabin pattern.

Keep in mind that spacing between logs is important. "A good general rule to think about is surface to air: The more air you have, the easier it is to start [a fire] and the hotter it burns," Hite explains.

Wood that's too close won't have enough oxygen to sustain flames. Logs that are too far apart will catch fire at first, but then die out since they don't stay hot enough to sustain flames.

1. Select five logs. "Generally, you want to start the fire with smaller logs, because they'll catch fire easier than larger logs," says Hite.
2. Place the two largest logs on the grate or andirons parallel to the back of the fireplace. The largest log should be in front, the smaller of the two in the back. This way, when logs shift as they burn, they'll fall to the back of the fireplace instead of the front. Leave some space between them for kindling.
3. Place the tinder underneath the grate between the two logs.
4. Arrange the kindling on top of the tinder. Hite usually starts with two pieces of kindling arranged in an X that crosses over the tinder and a third piece on the grate between the first and second log.
5. Stack two logs perpendicular to the first layer of logs. You should end up with a log cabin-like structure that is made up of four logs. If they don't feel sturdy, adjust the space between the logs of the first layer.
6. Place the fifth log in between the logs of the second layer. This middle log should sit right over the tinder and kindling, "low enough to catch on fire from the fire starters."
7. Light the tinder. Have more tinder and kindling on hand, in case the flames go out before the logs begin to catch.
8. Put up the spark screen. Once the fire is going, put up a spark screen to catch any embers that might get thrown out by wood popping.

Quick tip: For smaller fireplaces, use only three logs total. For the second layer, lay the third log diagonally across the first layer, creating a Z shape.

How to make a fire with the upside-down method

The upside-down method places its components in the opposite order of the log cabin method. Since the kindling is on top of the logs and burning down, with this method, "you only have a layer of it on fire at a time," Hite says, "and because it's a smaller fire, it burns slower."

If you don't plan on feeding more logs and "your goal is to make the firewood last longer, [the upside-down method] is a better option for you," says Hite. "The whole experience is, the wood you put on there is the wood that you're going to use."

1. Select five logs. For small fireplaces, use only three logs.
2. Place the two largest logs on the grate or andirons parallel to the back of the fireplace. The largest log should be in front, the smaller of the two in the back. This way, when logs shift as they burn, they'll fall to the back of the fireplace instead of the front.
3. Stack two more logs on top of the first layer. Place these logs perpendicular to the first layer. If they don't feel sturdy, adjust the space between the logs of the first layer.
4. Place the fifth log in between the logs of the second layer. This log will support the tinder and kindling.
5. Place the kindling on top of the second log layer. Use four or more pieces of kindling, arranged in a log-cabin pattern.
6. Place the tinder underneath the kindling.
7. Light the tinder. Have more tinder and kindling on hand, in case the flame goes out before the logs begin to catch. The upside-down method usually requires more kindling and tinder than the log cabin method.
8. Put up the spark screen. Once the fire is going, put up a spark screen to catch any embers that might get thrown out by wood popping.

Insider's takeaway

When the right safety protocols are followed, a fire in the fireplace is a cozy way to get warm while inside. Before you start a fire, make sure a professional has swept your chimney recently, and double-check that the damper in the flue is open.

While there are advantages to both the log cabin and upside down methods of starting a fire, Hite says, "for most people, both advanced and beginners, the log cabin method is going to be better … it has been around for forever." If you want to burn through a limited amount of wood, "then the upside-down method is a good thing to try out."

Safety and technique aside, Hite adds, "just make sure to bring others around the fire … because it makes memories unlike anything else. There's nothing that opens people up, there's nothing that makes people think deeper than a fire. It's primal, universal, and unifying. It can bring anybody together."