I love our wood burning fireplace. It gives off a great ambiance to the home. Recently I tried to figure out– How do you build a good fire in a fireplace?

With winter in full force for the first time in years, we have been using our fireplace to heat up our home more often. Here is what I was taught to do when building a fire:

1. Crumple some newspaper and place under the grate and on the grate.
2. Place wood kindling lengthwise with the grate. Put on two pieces of wood on top.
3. Put two more pieces of wood perpendicular to the first two.
4. Ensure the damper is open.
5. Twist a long piece of newspaper and light it. Hold it carefully into the flue in order to create a draft.
6. Light the paper under the grate.
7. Enjoy the fire.

Start with two or three large pieces of wood and lay them lengthwise and tight together.

Lay three more pieces perpendicular on top of the first layer. Again making sure it is tight.

Now add the kindling on top along with crumpled newspapers.

1. Ensure the damper is open.
2. Twist a long piece of newspaper and light it. Hold it carefully into the flue in order to create a draft.
3. Light the paper and kindling that was stacked on the top.
4. Enjoy the fire as it burns from the top down making more of a hot ember base.