Rex & Antidote
Rex
I’m curious about how to start a fire when the wind’s strong and the wood’s damp. You’ve helped with so many tricky setups—any quick, reliable method that keeps the flame steady even with wet logs?
Antidote
First build a small teepee with the driest kindling you can find. Wrap a layer of dry leaves or newspaper around it and place it against a natural windbreak or a homemade shield made from a tarp or a pile of rocks. Light the tinder at the base and let the small fire grow before adding any damp logs. Once the flame is steady, you can carefully add the damp wood—its moisture will be less of a problem once the fire has a good heat source. Keep the wind from blowing directly at the flame by adjusting the windbreak as needed.
Rex
That’s solid—keeps the fire from blowing out before it gets going. Just remember the wind can be as unpredictable as a bear in a thunderstorm, so keep adjusting that shield until the flame feels steady. Once the spark’s stable, the damp logs will follow the heat better than the wind. Good job, and you’re one step closer to mastering the elements.
Antidote
Glad it helped. Keep the shield angled to block the gusts and lay a dry underlayer so the logs heat up quickly. Stay safe out there.