What is that familiar pleasant smell in the air?
Ah, it smells like toasted hotdogs and marshmallows on sticks and smoke coming from a bonfire.
Wait up – a bonfire?
That is pretty understandable as, well, summer is just around the corner. It is the season of beach vacations, mountain hiking, and overnight camping trips again. Surely, someone will need some firewood.
Oh, maybe you are that certain someone in need of firewood?
Perhaps you are coming on the trips mentioned? Or maybe you are just a simple person curious about how much firewood will you need for camping?
Whatever your reasons may be, you might have come across the perfect article.
This article will tackle the usual things to remember about firewood in camping, like the amount of firewood needed, how much it is, the long-lasting firewoods, and the best wood for a campfire.
Now, without further ado, let us begin our mini journey about firewood in camps.
How Much Firewood Do I Need for Camping?
However, before we find answers to the question, “How much firewood do I need for camping?” Take a step back and assess a few necessary details about your campfire first.
First, how big will your campfire be?
A tip for assessing how big your campfire will be is by counting how many people will join in that campfire. The more people join, the larger the campfire will be. And the more significant the campfire, the more wood you will be needing.
Second, how long are you going to be camping?
Most people pay little attention to the duration of the campfire, but it is essential to be knowledgeable about this factor, especially if you will bring your firewood. The last thing you might want when camping is to be short of firewood and end up freezing in the middle of the night.
Keep in mind that the more extended the stay, again, the more firewood you will be needing.
Last, even though it is just a minor detail, there is no harm in knowing ahead of the place or the camping site, so research as many articles and information you need.
Gather insights ahead of time if the camping site will be open-air, or will there be any places to buy some or get some firewood if you got short of it?
If the camping is going to be an open-air one, perhaps like a seashore or a mountain top, there is a high probability that the stronger the breeze of the air will be and the faster your firewood will burn out.
In these cases, there is no harm in being very careful and prepared. Fetch some extra firewood with you because you might need more later.
If your camping site will be near or surrounded by trees, it is better to keep watch on the size of the fire to avoid accidental forest fires and the killing of floras and faunas near the area. It is a straightforward decision that we should be responsible campers and accountable to our environment.
Camping Firewood
Before diving deep into some of the recommended wood for a campfire, let us first have some trivia about camping firewood.
Where did this all begin?
Historians say that the first campfire might have possibly happened sometime around 1.6 million years ago because of a confirmed analysis of burned antelope bones in the caves of Swart krans, South Africa.
In a laboratory result and thorough analysis of paleontologists, the data confirmed that Australopithecus Robustus and Homo Erectus made the first campfire sighting found millions of years ago. Paleontologists specialize in studying fossil fuels to shed light on the various aspects of extinct and living creatures.
How Much is Firewood?
Now, going back to our journey about firewoods, we recently talked about how much firewood you will need for camping.
You might wonder how much it is really during this time and which places or stores could sell it.
Averagely, the average cost of a cord of wood would be around $300 (€260). Some firewood can be purchased at a lower or higher price at around $100 to $1000 (€87 to €865) per cord.
A wood cord is composed of a woodpile stack of four feet by eight feet for around 130 cubic feet in volume. This measure can also vary depending on the store you will buy from.
In addition, there is also the presence of seasoned wood or dry wood from green timber that increases the quality of the wood, increasing its value in price.
Overall, it is a case-to-case basis, and the price varies depending on which country or the region you live in or visit.
Prices seem to increase double or triple depending on the season, mostly during winter, since demand also relatively increases.
If you are fortunate and live in an area surrounded by forests, bushes, and trees, you could already consider small tree branches as firewood. How lucky you are to find gold without having to pay a single buck for it!
Wood for Campfire
Now that you have an idea about wood’s basic costing, you might wonder about the primary wood types used in campfires.
Firewood Pricing fluctuates mainly because it depends on the wood or tree it will come from.
Campers know it is a fact that wood will burn during camping, but there really is a difference if you know which type of firewood to use.
Long-Lasting Firewoods
There are many types of wood for campfires used globally, and each has its unique characteristics that can suit the needs of campers.
It is an advantage to be wary of these factors, as a campfire can be helpful in terms of heat, light, and warmth and can be considered a protection against predatory animals.
Some well-known long-lasting firewoods include oak, hickory, maple, mesquite, ash, hardwood, and cedar.
The cost of oak can range from $150 to $700 (€130 to €600) per firewood cord and can be pretty expensive if you buy it in Texas or Carolina. Maple and Mesquite can go from $300 to $700 (€260 to €600) per wood cord. Ash and Hardwood can be pricey, ranging from $360 to $800 (€310 to €700) per wood cord.
Best Wood for Campfire
The standard for best wood for campfire dramatically varies depending on the location and purpose of the campers.
Among the usual firewood types being used, oak is the most common option or the go-to firewood of campers. It can generate sufficient heat, and it burns moderately and steadily.
Next in line would be the hickory firewood, a tough hardwood with little moisture that can generate more heat than oak and other softwood.
Aside from oak and hickory, ash or Fraxinus is also an excellent wood for campfires, as it burns quickly with minimal to no moisture and can still burn even if not completely dried.
Last, we recommend using cedar firewood when your campfire’s primary purpose is to stay warm. It generates a smaller flame compared with other firewood types. Not only that, but this firewood also releases a pleasant smell when burned.
