You can't call youself a camper without knowing how to start a campfire. A campfire is needed to keep yourself warm on the cold nights as well as early mornings. A campfire is needed to light up the site when the sun has set. A campfire is needed to roast your marshmallows and hotdogs. Heck, a campfire is needed for the experience to be a true camping trip. Luckily, starting a campfire is pretty easy and becomes second nature after a few cracks at it.

• Before starting any campfire, make sure that campfires are permitted at your campground. Most likely, they are.

• Gather wood for the campfire. Be sure to collect everything from twigs and dry leaves to small sticks and branches up to 2-4 inches long.

• If a fire ring is not available at your campsite, clear an area away from any trees or brush. Setting up a perimeter of rocks will help contain the campfire debris.

• Set a small pile of the dry leaves and twigs in your fire ring.

• Place the small sticks directly on top of the pile of twigs and leaves. Set it up so the small sticks form a teepee around the pile.

• Build a square wall of larger sticks around the tepee of smaller sticks.

• Throw a lit match into the pile of leaves and twigs. Follow up with another match until the pile catches fire.

• As your campfire grows, add larger branches across the top. Be careful not to collapse the wall of the fire.

• Continue to add larger branches and pieces of wood to keep the campfire going.

Although a campfire represents the fun and excitement of camping and nature, there are also safety tips to be followed.

• Make sure to start your campfire away from things that can catch fire such as tents, trees, and bushes.

• Try to avoid building a fire on windy days. If you must build one, make it as small as possible and give yourself extra space from flammables.

• Never use flammable fluids to start a campfire such as kerosene or butane.

• A fire should never be left unattended.

• Only build a fire as big as you need it.

• Make sure your fire is completely extinguished at the end: Sprinkle with water. Stir with a stick. Repeat until out cold.

Not that you know how to start a fire and practice it's safe use. Enjoy your camping experience and stay warm!