Selecting the Best Wood for Burning on a Campfire: Heat and Longevity Guide

Choosing the right firewood for your campfire is essential for generating optimal heat, ensuring a long-lasting burn, and maintaining an enjoyable outdoor experience. For UKSN members and outdoor enthusiasts in the UK, understanding the characteristics of different native woods can significantly enhance camping, bushcraft, and survival activities. This guide covers the best wood to burn for heat and longevity, as well as woods to avoid.

Understanding Wood Types: Hardwoods vs. Softwoods

Firewood falls into two main categories: hardwoods and softwoods. Understanding their differences can help you select the best wood for your specific campfire needs.

Hardwood Sourced from deciduous trees (such as oak, ash, and beech), hardwoods are dense, burn hotter, and last longer. They produce fewer sparks and less smoke, making them the best choice for long-lasting campfires.

Softwood Sourced from coniferous trees (such as pine, spruce, and fir), softwoods ignite quickly but burn faster, producing more smoke and sparks. While they are useful as kindling, they are not ideal for maintaining a fire.

Top Hardwoods for Campfires

Oak

• Burns slowly and steadily with a high heat output.

• Requires up to two years of seasoning for optimal burning.

• Produces minimal smoke and high-quality embers, perfect for cooking.

Ash

• One of the best woods for campfires due to its steady flame and substantial heat.

• Burns well even when green, but seasoning improves efficiency.

• Easy to split and has a low moisture content.

Beech

• Provides consistent heat and burns cleanly.

• Requires proper seasoning to avoid excessive sparking.

• Easier to split than oak, making it convenient to use.

Birch

• Quick to ignite and produces a bright flame.

• Can be burned unseasoned, though seasoning improves efficiency.

• Birch bark is an excellent natural firestarter.

Hawthorn

• Dense hardwood that burns slowly with high heat output.

• Great for cold weather camping due to its long-lasting burn.

Cherry

• Offers a slow, steady burn with good heat output.

• Produces a pleasant aroma and minimal sparking.

Sycamore

• Burns with a good flame and moderate heat.

• Quick seasoning time and easy to split.

Softwoods: Use with Caution

While softwoods such as pine, spruce, and fir are easy to find and ignite quickly, they are less suitable for sustaining campfires due to:

• High Resin Content: Can cause excessive sparking and creosote buildup.

• More Smoke Production: Leads to an unpleasant experience and air pollution.

• Rapid Burn Rate: Requires frequent refuelling, making it inefficient for long-lasting campfires.

However, softwoods can be useful as kindling to get a fire started before adding hardwood logs for sustained heat.

Woods to Avoid

Certain woods are unsuitable for campfires due to their poor burning properties or harmful emissions:

• Elder: Burns poorly and produces thick, unpleasant smoke.

• Laburnum: Highly toxic—burning it releases harmful fumes.

• Poplar: Offers poor heat output and excessive smoke.

• Willow: Slow-burning with minimal heat and heavy sparking.

The Importance of Seasoning Firewood

Proper seasoning ensures efficient burning, higher heat output, and reduced smoke. Firewood should be dried to a moisture content below 20% for the best results.

• Hardwoods: Require longer seasoning (up to two years) due to their density.

• Softwoods: Generally dry faster, often within six months to a year.

Tips for Effective Seasoning

• Store Wood Properly: Stack wood off the ground in a dry, covered area with good air circulation.

• Split Larger Logs: Splitting logs increases the surface area, allowing them to dry faster.

• Use a Moisture Meter: A simple tool to check if the wood is ready to burn.

Best Practices for a Long-Lasting Campfire

1. Start with Kindling: Use dry twigs, softwood splinters, or birch bark to ignite the fire quickly.

2. Use the Right Fire Layout:

   • Teepee Fire: Good for quick, high flames.

   • Log Cabin Fire: Ideal for longer-lasting burns.

   • Upside-Down Fire: Best for minimal maintenance.

3. Add Hardwood Logs Gradually: Once the fire is established, add denser hardwoods to sustain heat and longevity.

4. Ensure Proper Ventilation: Oxygen is essential for combustion; avoid overcrowding the fire with wood.

Conclusion

Selecting the right wood for your campfire is crucial for warmth, cooking, and an enjoyable outdoor experience. Hardwoods like oak, ash, and birch provide long-lasting, high-heat fires, while softwoods should be used mainly for kindling. Always season your firewood properly and follow best practices to get the most out of your campfire.

For UKSN members who camp, bushcraft, or practice self-sufficiency, mastering firewood selection can make all the difference in your outdoor adventures. Stay prepared, stay warm, and enjoy your time in nature!