A campfire can reach 1650 °F or 900 ° C in its continuous flame region. At the thermal plume region where you cook food, the temperature can reach 600 °F or 320 °C. Bonfires or large campfires can get hot up to 2000 °F or 1100 °F.
In this blog post, we will explore about the average temperature of a campfire and how you can use the heat to prepare meals and stay warm on cold camping nights.
How Hot Does A Campfire Get?
Usually, the campfire you burn in a fire pit or sit around the woods reaches 600 degrees. This temperature maximum goes up to 2000 degrees. For better understanding, the flame has different regions, from continuous flame to thermal plumes and full-scale bonfires on large campfires.
The internal temperature of flames goes up to 1650 degrees while the above flames have 600 degrees of temperature where you can do most of your cooking. The temperature of large bonfires can get even hotter than 2000 degrees to melt metals.
These hot campfires can melt aluminum but cast-iron frying pans are safe from melting. Aluminum melts at 1220 degrees, while aluminum alloy melts at 865 to 1240 degrees. Cast Iron melts at 2060 degrees, and stainless steel has the highest 2750 degrees melting point.
Note: Most cooking utensils are made of aluminum and can easily melt in a campfire. It is highly recommended to be careful when choosing utensils for camping.
What Factors Decide How Hot Is A Campfire?
A number of factors decide how hot a campfire gets, These factors greatly impact the fire's temperature, and you should always consider getting the required campfire.
Fuel Type
Wood is burned to start a campfire, but with different kinds of wood available out there, it gets confusing which one to choose to get the desired temperature. Some most common woods used for campfires are hickory, cedar, and oak due to their slow burning.
Pine, on the other hand, is fast-burning wood that creates a lot of smoke and produces less heat. For camping, you should avoid using woods with high sap because they will burn faster, giving off less heat. It is better to have dried wood due to its more heat.
Campfire Size
The campfire size decides how hot it will burn. Usually, bonfires or larger fires require more fuel and oxygen to reach higher temperatures. These campfires reach temperatures above 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.
You should keep the campfire size small or medium to manage and control it easily. Keeping the size 0.3 meters long and 15 cm wide is good. The fuel size also determines campfire size, such as tinder, kindling, or firewood. To start a fire, use tinder; once it’s lit, add kindling and firewood.
Oxygen Supply
If oxygen isn’t enough in the air, it will be hard for you to burn fire. Use a fan or mouth; you can blow on fire, but be careful when managing fire in windy areas. Heavy wind will cause sparks and embers to fly into the forest to cause a wildfire.
Campfire Structure
Teepee-style structure of the campfire is the easiest to build and most commonly used. A downward-facing cone of small sticks and twigs is formed by layering on large wooden pieces. Inside the cone, a tinder is added, which burns fire faster. This structure also ensures maximum oxygen flow, which is essential for burning.
How Can You Tell By Color How Hot A Campfire Is?
By seeing the color of the flames, you can also judge how hot the campfire is. Here are some varying colors in the flame that indicates which part is hotter or colder:
- The hottest part of the flame is white, where the temperature goes above 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.
- You will see orange or yellow flames near the wood or other fuel source with temperatures up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.
- The coolest part of the fire is red, which has 1000 degrees Fahrenheit temperature.
- The blue part of the flame is near the white part and is even hotter, reaching between 2600 to 3000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Can You Cook Over Campfire?
Yes, you can cook anything over a campfire, but using low heat for cooking rather than intense heat is better. You can add more fuel when needed to raise the temperature of the heat. So, it is better to start cooking at low heat and gradually increase it.
Worldwide, campers have a lot of options to cook food on gas stoves or other cooking supplies for camping, but a campfire isn’t a bad option. You can use an adjustable stand to allow cookware to sit over flame,
Though temperature variations from too low to too high are possible on campfires, you can keep the cookware to a certain height for better results.
What Is The Hottest Part Of A Campfire?
A campfire is divided into two parts, core and plume. The core part is the hottest in the campfire, where red-hot coals form. The temperature in this region can go up to 900 degrees Fahrenheit.
Is Coal Fire Hotter Than Wood?
Coal fire is hotter than wood because the initial consuming energy where combustion takes place when coal forms the volatile parts of the wood are taken away. In contrast, the wood contains water and sap, which makes it less hot and takes more time to burn.
This is the reason for coal's burning efficiency compared to wood. Also, it is easy to store coal and gives better results than wood.
Safety Tips To Consider For Keeping Campfire Under Control
Without considering safety, we do not recommend dealing with campfires. Dealing with fire can be dangerous and destructive if it goes out of control. Here are some valuable tips to keep your campfire under control.
- Always keep water nearby to get ready for the time of emergency. If embers scatter, splash water on them to avoid more dispersal. Wet the area around the fire pit if you have set a large fire.
- Know about the plants you use for burning as some plants like oleander or rhododendron will form more smoke leading to breathing issues. Also, do not put pressure-treated lumber in the fire to cook food.
- Do not leave the area when the fire is burning, as negligence for even a few minutes will cause massive destruction in the wild or nearby camping ground.
- Build a safe fire pit at a perfect location where no fallen leaves, needles, or dead grass is present.
- Keep the flame low and under control. If the fire gets larger, it will move to the outside, causing damage.
- When leaving, get rid of the fire properly by sprinkling water and using fire-poking sticks to find and burn coals.
FAQs
How Hot Are Embers In A Wood Fire?
Embers can reach temperatures up to 900 to 1650 degrees Fahrenheit. They are comparably cooler due to their lower intensity than gases and other flammable materials.
How Hot Is A Blue Flame In A Campfire?
The blue color in the fire means a higher temperature than the white flame. The temperature of blue flame lies between 2600 to 3000 degrees Fahrenheit.
How Hot Is A FirePit?
The temperature of wood and metal fire pits varies. On average, a fire pit in wood reaches up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit while a metal fire pit can reach up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wrapping Up
Multiple factors decide the intensity or hotness of the campfire but make sure it doesn’t exceed 1200 degrees Celsius. You must also follow careful instructions to avoid causing a fire in the wild. Keeping the campfire temperature between 600 to 1650 degrees Fahrenheit is better.
We hope now you have a better understanding of how hot a campfire gets and the ways to keep the temperature controlled.
