Last updated on January 18th, 2022 at 04:33 pm
The main difference between a bonfire vs campfire is that a bonfire is considerably bigger. Bonfires are generally built for celebrations, big outdoor events, or served for signaling purposes. Even though a bonfire is controlled, its size poses greater safety risks than a small campfire.
There are a lot of interesting facts about Bonfire Vs Campfire that people don’t know. Let’s take a look at some of them.
From the old civilization till today, humans have been engaging with fire. Previously people tend to light the fire to burn animal bones called “Bonfire “to honor their God or evil spirits. These days fire is not only used for cooking, heating, and keeping the wildlife away at night but can be treated as a way of entertainment.
Bonfire vs Campfire the Real Difference Explained
Table of Contents
In simple words, a bonfire requires a large area to light the fire whereas a campfire can be arranged in a small pit. Whether it’s a bonfire or campfire you can easily split wood with the axes and mauls.
We will further explain the difference between the two by discussing the following points.
• What purpose they are built for
• How they are build
• What symbolic value they have
• Advantages and Disadvantages
Let’s discuss the Campfire First as it’s a famous activity among the adventurers to enjoy cold evenings in the woods.
What is the purpose of campfire
Generally, a campfire is an open fire at a campsite that provides light, warmth, and cooking heat. A campfire can easily be arranged in a medium or small pit. You may need a campfire for heating, cooking, and keeping mosquitos and insects away from camp. Amazingly, during camping, especially in the evening, people use to make campfires just for entertainment purposes, like enjoying music and sitting around the fire.
Cooking food is a very common activity during camping. Burning the best smelling firewood can add a great fragrance and flavor to your cooked food.
How to Build a Campfire
There are a few essential things you need to have to build a campfire like
• Firestarter splitting the wood first with axes and then paper or dry grass as a fire starter
• Tinder includes dry leaves and forest duff. They can easily catch the fire.
• Kindling is important these are the small sticks that should be less than an inch or 2 to catch fire easily.
• Firewood is the main source of a campfire, once the fire gets started firewood helps it keep burning for hours.
• Lighter/match sticks are required to light the fire with the help of starters.
Cool things to do with a campfire
You can have 5 activities around the campfire
• Goods and Bads
• Earn your s’ more
• Flashlight tag
• Campfire desserts
• The frog game
You can learn more about them on this website here.
Types of Campfire
There are 5 types of the campfire we will be discussing based on how the campfire is set or build.
1. Teepee
2. Log cabin
3. Lean-to fire
4. Platform
5. Star
How to Build a Teepee campfire
Teepee campfire is basically a cone shape structure with the base wide enough to allow oxygen flow to produce great heat. This can easily be built in 4 to 5 minutes’ time even by beginners. A teepee campfire is ideal when you 
want to arrange a quick campfire for the purpose of cooking or heat. This is great for beginners to learn, how to set a campfire.
Disadvantage
- Teepee campfire consumes more wood
Step to build a teepee fire
Just follow these simple steps to set up a great teepee campfire –no expertise required.
1. Select a nice and safe area
2. Gather the starter like small dry leaves or paper
3. Arrange the tinder
4. Arrange kindling in a cone shape
5. Balancing the kindling
6. Add more kindling gradually to make a strong structure to burn.
These are the simple steps to follow as shown in pictures for a clear understanding. Just place a starter or paper on the ground and put tinder on top of them. Build the first 3 kindling and balance them to get a cone-shaped structure. Add more kindling the same way as the first 3 and light the starter which will start burning the kindling as well.
How to build Log cabin campfire
This method is widely used by most campers, it may look a bit complex but tell you what it’s very simple. Before we proceed further I would like to answer the question, why we need to build a log cabin campfire?
Log cabin campfire is a very good option for two reasons
1. Used when you want to cook food because it allows a pot or pan to settle easily.
2. To set a fire inside a fireplace
Steps for Log cabin campfire
Arrange starter, tender and kindling along with the suitable area to build a fire then follow the steps mentioned below.
1. Place 2 logs parallel to each other on the surface
2. Put starter with the tender on top in between 2 logs
3. Add kindling across 2 logs
4. Add more kindling to form a net
5. Add more fuelwood on top
Advantages
Log cabin burns slowly which is very valuable if you are using it to provide heat for a long duration. Nobody want to keep adding more kindling every minute to keep it going isn’t.
Disadvantage
Certainly not a good method if you want a quick fire to burn.
How to Build Lean-to campfire
Lean-to campfire is very easy and the best way to start if you are a learner. Lean-to method is followed for 2 main advantages
• If you are burning a big log
• If there is a strong wind blowing
Lean-to can easily be converted to log cabin style by adding more logs on top as explained previously.
Disadvantage
Certainly not suited for cooking
Steps for Lean-to fire
1. Arrange the fuel like starter, tender, and kindling
2. Place a big log on the surface
3. Put some starter and tender leaning against base firewood
4. Add some kindling leaning against the firewood
5. Light the starter with a match stick
Star campfire
This method is quite different than the others we have discussed so far. To set up the star campfire you just align the end of every single log and burn them one by one.
Advantage
• Is very simple and anyone can set up easily
• Burn slow and don’t consume much wood.
• Logs can be of any length
• Requires no cutting
Disadvantage
It is a slow-burning process not ideal if you are looking quickfire for heating
Platform campfire
It is similar to log cabin style but the main difference is it burns from top to bottom, unlike log cabin campfire. Logs are stacked much closer in this format than the log cabin style.
What is the Bonfire?
Bonfire is the large open-air fire held by setting big logs or tall wooden pallets perpendicular to the surface of the ground. The word bonfire came from old tribes or old civilizations where people tend to burn animal bones to worship or honor their God.
Bonfire has a symbolic value apart from the other benefits. Many of the old tribes found worshipping fire itself and in order to do so they set up a bonfire.
Bonfire in comparison with a campfire is not preferred because it requires more resources to keep that fire going. Bonfire is also used in different tribes even today to celebrate festivals, marriages and other big occasions like new-year nights, etc.
Advantage
Bonfire is often used for trashing furniture or any old unused wooden equipment.
Disadvantages
• Bonfire need a large area and more resources.
• you may need to take permission in form of permit to setup bonfire in your area
Bonfire activities
You can arrange any activity like playing music, singing songs and play different games.
Safety precautions for bonfire or campfire
• You need to check the national weather warning before setting bonfire or campfire
• Dry air conditions with low humidity are not suited to set up any fire
• High winds are very risky that can spread fire anywhere without any control
• A bonfire should never be left unattended
FAQ
Is Bonfire Night celebrated in America?
Yes, present-day Guy Fawkes Night is celebrated with a bonfire with an awesome firework display. It’s celebrated in North America as well where it’s known as Pope Day.
Can you put stainless steel on an open fire?
No, putting stainless steel or aluminum cookware directly on the fire should be avoided. Remember you should use pots and pan with steel handles not plastic handles because they can melt in the campfire heat.
Can you boil water over a campfire?
Yes you can boil water over the campfire but make sure you use water container with steel handles
What is the best travel coffee maker?
Well, if you are planning a tour with a camper or a van you certainly can use one of the Best Nespresso Machine which will provide you the instant coffee to enjoy in cold. You can also check our Best Toaster ovens that can help you arrange breakfast with ease.
Can I use a fire pit in my backyard?
Yes, you may use a fire pit but you have to confirm from the local community or you need to take the permit for that. Importantly fire pit should be at the distance of at least 25 ft. from the building, fences, and trees, etc.
Is a fire pit considered an open fire?
Fire pits or bonfire is considered open-air burning and they are not allowed. It’s an offense if you are not following the open-air burning regulations.
Do you leave the cover on the fire pit?
Yes, it should be covered when not in use because during snow or rain it will get filled with water.