Has anyone got any tips on how to light a log fire without firelighters?

[lucy5]

My gas has gone, I live in the middle of nowhere and don't have access to a car. I have loads of logs but no firelighters. My fire is open so I can't put newspaper over it, to get it to catch, like I remember my mum doing when we were kids. I'm blooming freeezing and this is the Costa Del Sol,! I think I've gone soft

Scrunch up newspaper bundles. Cover with kindling, lay log on top, light.

Thanks, just been looking for newspapers. I haven't got any! I'm not very prepared for this cold weather. I have found some magazines, so will try that.

You get Ray Mears round with that little cheeky face of his.

Remember to scrunch them up lots, magazines are more difficult to burn but even if you can concentrate on getting one bit in flames the rest should follow.

Take individual sheets of paper (magazine will be fine) and roll them into fine tubes. Then make a loose knot in the tubes. Make loads of these and use them as kindling.

They last longer than just scrunching up the sheets of paper, so are more likely to ensure the fire catches.

Do you have any cardboard egg boxes?
They are good. I used to homecare and had to light a fire in an old woman's house. What a carry on - i lived in a house with central heating and had never lit a fire in my life. She got me egg boxes, and kitchen towel, rolled into thin rolls, and i lit it that way

Will go and raid the fridge I think the blooming wood is damp. Ds [9 weeks] will be awake in a minute so I will just have to put him in 72 layers!

Loo rolls & egg boxes work well with knots of newspaper

So do butter wrappers

if you get really desparate

Roll up thick cardboard and put it in a clean tin

Melt a candle and pour over the top

Leave to set

Open the tin from the bottem and use that as a firelighter

There's something you do with wax, (I give my neighbour our Babybel wax!) but maybe you could grate a candle over the log?

Yes waxburns really well - we often resort to chucking a candle in on days when the thing won't light. You need to lay it on the paper though so the whole thing burns - not just light the wick. I expect wax crayons would work as well. In fact any sort of fat.

Also milk cartons are good - must be something about that sort of plastic. Not very green but if you are desperate! I've managed to light my fire using two milk cartons and no kindling before.

Good luck - have you got any hot water bottles? Mind you if you manage to get it going it will be lovely as well as warm!

There is something very satisfying about managing to get a nice fire burning.

I miss my fire but not the coal central heating....

Thanks all i used a combination of everyones suggestions but is was wax that got it going in the end. I used about 100 tealights, so now my room is warm and scented

I watched a YouTube video then did as instructed. I very carefully used a propane torch. I added a half-roll of paper towels. It worked nicely, took about 15-20 minutes.

eleven years on, hopefully the op worked it out by now!