Building a campfire is a rite of passage. The first one I built on my own was one that kept me warm on a cool night in Vermont. It seemed to burn bright as day, which was a good thing because I was the counselor-on-duty at a summer camp and was supposed to stay awake and keep watch outside my cabin for homesick wanderers.

Summer nights are warmer here on the Outer Cape than they are in the mountains of Vermont. But despite the heat, the air next to the shore feels cool after the sun sets, and on most nights the outer beaches are dotted with fires.

People just can’t help themselves: the smoke repels mosquitoes, everybody looks good by firelight, and who doesn’t want a s’more? There’s something thrilling about a beach fire, too: the ocean waves crash nearby, loud but out of sight, and the sea seems darkened by the relative luminescence. Nobody controls either.

But when it comes to fires, there are a few rules to follow — the kind designed by the towns and the National Park Service and the kind campfire connoisseurs like to talk about, the best techniques for getting from spark to coals. Here’s a guide that combines both for observing a tradition older than the written word.

The first thing to do is get a permit (see sidebar). Once you’ve completed that task, you can invite other people to join you (there’s a limit, so check your permit for that). To feel all warm inside, have a fire with family and friends. To encourage a spark, invite somebody you like-like. But to attract anybody, you’ll need to build the fire.

Bring good kindling — the use of accelerants to start a fire is not permitted at Wellfleet beaches, but besides that, lighter fluids are just not cool. They’ll make your fire erupt, but frantically, like a person startled out of a deep sleep. And they smell acrid, sending fire-lovers away from the flames. To be the one to use a single match to set your kindling alight, arrive with a paper bag or beach bucket full of small, dry twigs (as small or smaller than a pinky finger), and a few sheets of tightly rolled newspaper (not before reading this).

You’ll need firewood, too. If you don’t have a shed with the remains of your winter supply, it can be bought. We carry ours down the dunes in tall buckets that come in handy for scooping seawater at the end of the night. Using old pallets or anything full of chemicals and nails is prohibited in Wellfleet and a bad idea anywhere. A long stick or poker is handy for stirring the coals.

To begin, dig a very shallow hole in the sand — about a yard across is good. Don’t dig too deep and pile your sticks in a pit — a fire needs oxygen to burn.

There are two ways to arrange your firewood. For a teepee fire, place your kindling in the center and stand your wood on end in a teepee shape around it. Make sure the kindling has some room to breathe and that the sides of your structure aren’t too steep.

For a log-cabin fire, the kindling goes in the center, then firewood is stacked to create an interlocking square wall around it. Build a small fire — the idea is to make it approachable and be able to see your friends — adding wood as you go to keep it going but not frenetic.

A low-lying beach is no mountain forest, but once the sun goes down, you’ll want a hoodie and, if you run cold, a blanket. Suddenly you’ll notice the sand is made of rock and bone. It will feel soft until it doesn’t — bring a towel to sit on, or, if you partake, a beach chair.

Mosquitoes love your blood more than they hate fire smoke. Consider applying bug spray before you head down so as not to annoy your friends. If you’re shy, bring a bathing suit — there’s not much cell service out there, but it’s possible the water will call.

S’mores are practically required, and you’re not allowed to have just one. You can buy roasting sticks or find them in the woods and pack them with your gear: long, thin, sturdy sticks are hard to find once you’re at the shore. Don’t bother with jumbo marshmallows — toasted over the fire, the middle of a jumbo marshmallow will remain raw and cold even as the outside burns away. After your first s’more, your sticky fingers will pick up sand, and the next thing you eat will be crunchy. Don’t worry, be happy: ingesting sand isn’t harmful unless you eat it by the mouthful. Some people go for hot dogs, speared and roasted over the fire before they move on to the s’mores. Others bring salads to a beach fire. I don’t understand that.

Drinking water is important, and alcohol is not allowed at Wellfleet beaches. Just don’t bring any of it in glass containers. And a flashlight for finding your way around your supplies, especially when it’s time to pack up.

If you plan your night right, you might see a full Moon rising orange as a coal over the ocean. That’s something you just won’t see from your firepit in the forest. Or you might gaze up at the stars, which seem to grow brighter as the flames die down and the logs crumble. Night has fallen — it’s even darker now that the fire is low. The tide might be creeping ever closer to your circle, or it might have drifted far away. Either way, at a certain point, things go quiet, including the fire.

Just one more thing: do not cover those smoldering coals with sand. Instead, fill your buckets with seawater and “sprinkle and stir.” I learned the technique at camp: pour water over the coals, then use a stick or poker to stir the coals. Repeat until nothing’s glowing except your memories of this summer scene.

Beach Fire Permits

PROVINCETOWN

Where: Race Point or Herring Cove beaches (both are managed by the Cape Cod National Seashore). Fires must be out by 11:30 p.m.
How to reserve: Reserve in person at the Province Lands Visitor Center or by phone, 508-487-1256.
When to reserve: A limited number of permits per beach are available beginning at 9 a.m. each day. Those reserving in person are given preference over those reserving by phone. Permits may be reserved up to three days in advance.
Who can reserve: An adult who will be at the fire. When making a reservation, a vehicle license plate number, local address and contact number, and number of people attending the fire are required.
The cost: Permits are free. 

TRURO

Where: Ballston, Beach Point, Coast Guard, Corn Hill, Fisher, or Noons Landing beaches. (Because shorebirds are nesting there, beach fires are not permitted at Head of the Meadow for now.) Fires must be out by midnight.
How to reserve: Permit requests must be placed online at truro-ma.gov or at the Truro Beach Office kiosk (36 Shore Road, North Truro).
When to reserve: Between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on the day of the beach fire.
Who can reserve: An adult Truro resident or person staying in Truro (verification required).
The cost: Permits are $10 per fire, nonrefundable.

WELLFLEET

Where: Newcomb Hollow, White Crest, and Lecount Hollow beaches are managed by the town. For fires at Marconi Beach, see the NPS rules for Eastham beaches. Fires must be out by 11 p.m.
How to reserve: Online only at wellfleet-ma.gov.
When to reserve: Permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis and only on the day they are to be used.
Who can reserve: Adult Wellfleet residents or visitors with a valid Wellfleet parking permit or eligible for a Wellfleet parking permit.
The cost: Permits are free.

EASTHAM

Where: Coast Guard, Nauset Light, and Marconi beach (Wellfleet). All are managed by the CCNS. Fires must be out by 11:30 p.m.
How to reserve: Visit the Salt Pond Visitor Center or call 508-255-3421.
When to reserve: A limited number of permits per beach are available beginning at 9 a.m. each day. Those reserving in person are given preference over those reserving by phone. Permits may be reserved up to three days in advance.
Who can reserve: An adult who will be at the fire. When making a reservation, a vehicle license plate number, local address and contact number, and number of people attending the fire are required.
The cost: Permits are free.