How to Light a Fire in ARK: A Simple Guide: 1 Minute to Mastering Fire Starting in ARK

Lighting a fire in ARK: Survival Evolved is essential for survival, whether you're cooking food, keeping warm, or providing light in the dark. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide:

1. Craft a Campfire: Open your inventory and check the Engram list. Unlock the Campfire engram (requires level 2). Collect the required materials: 12 Thatch, 1 Flint, 16 Stone, and 2 Wood. Craft the campfire from your inventory.
2. Place Your Campfire: Select the campfire from your hot bar and place it on the ground where you want it.
3. Add Fuel: Access the campfire’s inventory (hold 'E' on PC, or equivalent on console). Add fuel such as Wood, Thatch, or Sparkpowder.
4. Light the Fire: After adding fuel, select the “Light Fire” option in the campfire’s menu. Your fire will now be lit, offering warmth, light, and the ability to cook raw food.
5. Use the Campfire: Place raw meat or other cookable items in the campfire inventory to cook them.

As a designer, I’m always thinking about the importance of atmosphere in a space—even in virtual environments. If you want to plan out where your virtual campfires or key features go in your base, using a room planner can help visualize your survival setup and inspire even more creative, functional spaces in ARK or your own home.

Tips 1:

Make sure to keep extra fuel handy, so your fire doesn’t go out unexpectedly. Campfires can also be used as signaling devices for friends or allies in multiplayer mode.

FAQ

Q: What materials can I use as fuel for a fire in ARK?

A: Wood, thatch, and sparkpowder can all be used as fuel in a campfire.

Q: Why won’t my campfire light in ARK?

A: Ensure you have added fuel to the campfire inventory and are pressing the correct button to “Light Fire.” If out of fuel, it won’t light.

Q: Can I cook multiple types of food in one campfire?

A: Yes, you can place multiple types of raw meat or other cookable items in the campfire to cook simultaneously.

Q: How do I pick up or move my campfire once placed?

A: In standard ARK gameplay, campfires can’t be moved once placed, but you can demolish and craft a new one.

Q: Does a campfire in ARK keep me safe from creatures?

A: Fire offers limited deterrence against some smaller creatures; however, it’s mainly for warmth and cooking, not defense.