How To Light The Perfect Fire – Fire Lighting Tips

One of my early childhood memories was “setting” the fire ready for the weekend with my Grandma. As the weather is starting to show signs of turning we thought we’d share with you her step by step guide.

• Clean the grate by sweeping or shovelling out the ash. She always left a little ash in the bottom of the grate so that the fire burnt better! Perhaps an old wife’s tale but it always seemed to work.
• Scrunch up 2 -3 sheets of newspaper into a balls and place on the grate.
• You can also add a few bits of firelighter amongst the newspaper.
• Alternatively you can make 4-6 paper firelighters. These are paper plaits. Have a look at this Youtube clip to see how you can make these. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0_Pxiq5cTI Place these on top of the scrunched up newspaper.
• Get 8-10 pieces of kindling (you can buy these at our website http://www.londongases.co.uk/view/3kg-kindling and place around the newspaper to form a pyramid.
• With a match or lighter, light the pieces of newspaper.
• Blow gently on the newspaper so that the flames fully ignite the paper and then the kindling.
• Once the kindling is alight, usually within 5-10 mins, add 2 or 3 of the smallest logs you have. Make sure the logs are dry. Use softwood, hard wood or kiln dried (as you may have guessed we sell these too http://www.londongases.co.uk/browse/logs
• Place the logs also in a pyramid shape around the lit kindling so that the centre of the fire isn’t crushed.
• Once the logs are alight then you can move them with a poker into the centre of the fire.
• Then keep adding your logs, coal, or briquettes and sit back and enjoy your fire.

Fires like this can be lit in a grate, wood burning stove or outside in a fire pit or chiminea.

• An alternative method of lighting the fire (and one I use myself if I'm short of time or wanting an easy time is to use one of our 'Long-life logs' http://www.londongases.co.uk/view/heat-logs Simply, light either end of the log as per instructions on the wrapper, leave it a minute or two, then add your logs, coal, or briquettes… Not sure Grandma would approve of this but we do!

Remember fire is dangerous. Please take care when lighting a fire and never leave it unsupervised.

Look us up on facebook.com/londongases Or call us in the office if you need any questions answered. Our telephone number is 020 8807 4633

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