SCUM 1.0: How to Start a Fire

SCUM 1.0 survival demands more than avoiding risks and gathering supplies. It’s about owning the little details.

One of the most important skills people usually underestimate is how to start a fire.

It might sound simple, but unless you’ve done it before, it’s easy to waste time and resources trying to figure it out.

And with hunger and thirst draining fast, that time can cost you your life.

How To Start a Fire In SCUM?

First off, you can’t just start a fire on the ground—you need to make what the game calls an Improvised Fireplace.

click to enlarge

+ 3

This isn’t found in the usual crafting categories like “Items.” Instead, head into the Base Building tab of your crafting menu. Enter “fire” in the search bar to find the Improvised Fireplace under Utility Structures.

Once you’ve found it, choose a flat, safe spot to place it. Anywhere works, as long as it’s not too cluttered or steep. After placing it, the fireplace won’t work right away. You’ll need to gather materials to build it properly.

You mainly need Long Sticks plus something to start the fire—Brake Oil is standard but not easy to get at first. Thankfully, you can substitute Brake Oil with Tinder, which is much easier to craft.

Tinder can be made from rags, paper, or plant fibers, but in the early stages, you’re better off avoiding rags since they’re valuable for healing and crafting clothes. Go with fibers from bushes instead.

How Do You Collect Resources for Fire?

Use a stone knife made from small rocks you find to chop bushes.

click to enlarge

+ 3

These provide both sticks and plant material. You’ll want to collect enough to not only build the fireplace but also to make a fire-starting tool. If your inventory gets tight, store sticks in your holsters and Tinder in your pockets.

You can also bundle sticks together to make carrying and crafting more efficient. Once you’ve got what you need, go back to the placed fireplace frame and interact with it.

The game will detect the resources your character has and start constructing the structure. Once complete, lighting it is where most players run into trouble.

How Do You Actually Light the Fire?

You can start a fire in several ways, but unless you find matches, a lighter, or flint and steel, you’ll probably have to make a Fire Drill.

click to enlarge

+ 3

This primitive tool is crafted using two sticks. It takes longer to use than modern methods, but it’s your best bet early on. Once you’ve made it, equip the Fire Drill, approach your completed fireplace, and activate it.

The action wheel will show a “Light Fire” option. Select it and start the fire-making process. If your Tinder is dry and the weather isn’t working against you, the fire should light within a few attempts.

Once it’s going, you can cook food, purify water, dry out wet clothes, or simply keep yourself from freezing to death during those brutal SCUM nights.

With that locked down, you won’t just make it. You’ll have full control over a key survival system in SCUM.

Stick with us here at Gfinityesports.com: the best site for SCUM coverage.