Campfires are an incredibly useful block to have in Minecraft. Not only do they provide light and warmth, they can also be used for cooking food, sending smoke signals, and even creating traps. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about crafting, placing, and lighting campfires in Minecraft.
Table of Contents
Crafting a Campfire
Crafting a basic campfire is very easy:
- Place 3 sticks in the bottom row of the crafting grid
- Place 1 coal/charcoal in the center box
- Place 3 wooden planks/logs in the top row
This will give you 1 campfire to place in the world.
If you want to craft a soul campfire instead, simply replace the coal/charcoal with a soul soil block. Soul campfires emit less light but deal more fire damage.
Placing Campfires
Once crafted, campfires can be placed on any solid block just like a torch or lantern. When initially placed, campfires will already have a flame burning.
Here are some tips for placing campfires:
- Don’t place them on flammable blocks like wood planks or wool unless you want those blocks to catch fire
- Place campfires under beehives to safely harvest honey without angering bees
- Make rows of campfires to create guiding paths and light sources
- Place campfires under hay bales to create smoke signals that rise 24 blocks high
Lighting Campfires
There are a few different ways to light an unlit campfire in Minecraft:
Using Fire Sources
- Flint & Steel
- Fire Charges
- Lava Buckets
- Fire Aspect weapons
Simply use one of these fire sources directly on the unlit campfire to ignite it.
Shooting a Flame Arrow
Equip a bow with flaming arrows and shoot the unlit campfire to light it on fire.
Using Mobs
- Have a blaze shoot a fireball at the campfire
- Lead a mob that’s on fire, like a zombie, over the unlit campfire
Catching Yourself on Fire
This tricky method involves:
- Catching your character on fire
- Walking into the campfire before the flames on you go out
This will light the campfire.
Using Redstone
- Have redstone power a dispenser with fire charges loaded to shoot at unlit campfires
- Power a flint & steel on a piston to automatically light campfires
These redstone methods allow for remote and automated campfire ignition.
Using Campfires
Now that you’ve crafted and placed campfires successfully, here are some of the best uses for them:
Cooking
Campfires allow you to cook up to 4 food items at a time, which is faster than using furnaces. Simply right-click or tap the campfire with raw food in your hand to place it for cooking.
Tip: You can tell when the food is done cooking when it pops off the campfire slightly.
Smoke Signals
Adding a hay bale under a campfire makes the smoke rise up to 24 blocks, which sends a tall smoke signal you can see from a distance.
Traps
Campfires deal 1 point of damage every half second. While minor, it can soften up mobs so you can finish them off more easily.
Decoration
Campfires make great fireplaces and sources of light for home decor. Try using multiple campfires and different styles of chimneys.
Beekeeping
Placing campfires under beehives or bee nests allows you to safely harvest honey without angering bees. The smoke calms them.
Underwater
Campfires can be placed underwater. The flames will be extinguished but will relight when exposed to air again.
Fuel Source
Campfires burn indefinitely without needing to add fuel. Use hoppers to pull items into nearby furnaces to smelt loads of items.
Path Markers
The smoke from campfires makes them great markers when exploring. Place them to help find your way back home.
Light Source
With a light level of 15, campfires can be used as an alternative light source to torches and prevent mob spawning.
Extinguishing Campfires
If you want to extinguish a lit campfire, there are a couple methods:
- Splash water bottles or water buckets directly on the campfire
- Use a shovel on the campfire (simply right-click or tap the campfire)
Extinguishing campfires allows you to relight them later or safely walk over them without taking damage.
Campfire FAQs
Here are some common questions about campfires in Minecraft:
Do campfires burn out?
No, campfires burn indefinitely without any fuel needed. They only extinguish when splashed with water or hit with a shovel.
How much light do campfires emit?
Campfires emit a light level of 15, which is slightly more than a torch (light level 14).
How often do campfires deal damage?
Campfires deal 1 point of damage every half second. This affects any mobs or players standing on top of it.
Can campfires catch things on fire?
Yes, any flammable blocks like wood planks directly next to the campfire can catch on fire. Have a non-flammable block border around campfires.
Do campfires keep burning in the rain?
Yes, campfires remain lit even when exposed to rain and storms in Minecraft.
And that covers everything you need to know about crafting, placing and using campfires in Minecraft! Whether you want to use them for cooking, creating smoke signals, or designing cool fireplace decor, campfires are an incredibly versatile addition to the game.
