i often start my fire with a propane torch too. you can still get a fire going with very little smoke that way.

i don't think the torch saves much time, but it's easier than assembling a proper stack.

the key that I've found is to put the biggest logs on the bottom, and using smaller pieces as you go up the stack

by the time you get to the top the pieces should be pencil sized, with a little bit of tinder at the top to get it going

when your wood is nice and dry, you can light a top down fire with a match and no paper.

the result is smoke free, apart from any birch bark you might have topped it off with.

they also have 8.8M people as of 2020.

if your numbers on nyc homicide rates are correct that's

2.2 x 365 / 8.8M x 100000

9.1 murders per annum per 100,000 people

while burlington's number is

5 / 44,890 x 100000

11.1

but Burlington is not a "major city"

the city council cut 33% of the police force with no reallocation of funding for public safety. crime is way up in Burlington as a direct result of this foolish move by amateur politicians.