How to build each lay
Teepee — fast and hot
- 1Ball up tinder on the ground.
- 2Stand small kindling sticks around it in a cone (teepee) shape.
- 3Light the tinder; add larger sticks the same cone way once it's going.
Lean-to — for wind and rain
- 1Push a stick into the ground (or lean it on a log), with the upper end pointing into the wind.
- 2Put tinder underneath the leaning stick.
- 3Lean kindling and larger sticks on either side. Air drawn into the open front feeds the flames — this is why it works in wind.
Log cabin — long and steady
- 1Lay two sticks parallel, a few inches apart.
- 2Put tinder and kindling between them, teepee-style.
- 3Stack two more sticks on top pointing the opposite direction; keep stacking, alternating. The square burns longer and steadier.
When to use it
- Teepee — the everyday "get it lit fast" fire, and quick warmth or boiling water.
- Lean-to — starting a fire when wind or rain would blow out or drown a teepee.
- Log cabin — a longer-lasting fire and a bed of even coals for cooking.
- Choosing a lay for the weather and task is a mark of real fire skill, not just "pile it up."
Common mistakes & safety
- Every lay uses the same safe site: bare earth, gravel, or sand (or an established ring), away from trees, brush, and dry grass, with plenty of water nearby before lighting.
- Check conditions first. If it's too dry or windy, the answer may be no fire at all, whatever the lay.
- Keep it small and add wood gradually. A fire lay is a starting structure, not a license to build a bonfire.
- The lean-to points the high end into the wind on purpose — this shelters the tinder and uses the wind to feed the fire instead of fighting it.
- Mind the collapse. Teepees and log cabins shift as they burn — keep hands and faces back, and don't reach into a settling fire.
Going deeper
- Match the lay to the goal. Need flames fast → teepee; fighting wind or rain → lean-to; want it to last or cook → log cabin.
- Other lays exist. The "star" (logs fed inward like spokes, sparing on wood), the pyramid/upside-down (large on bottom, burns down and needs less tending), and cooking lays like a keyhole or trench.
- Coals, not flames, are what you cook over. A log cabin (or letting any fire burn down) gives the steady bed of embers that cooks evenly.
Official source
3 ways to lay the firewood for a campfire — Scout Life →Every lay needs the same safe, cleared, water-ready site. Confirm fire is allowed before building.