Project Zomboid B42 Burn Corpses: Don’t Torch Your Base
Project Zomboid B42: Burn Corpses SafelyThe tile rule, the campfire method, the gasoline method, and a burn pad that won’t eat your base.
Overview: the B42 tile rule
Straight answer
In Build 42, bodies burn reliably when they’re on the exact burning tile. Stack corpses directly on a placed campfire tile (then light it), or pile them on one tile and use gasoline + lighter/matches to trigger Burn Corpse. Do it on bare concrete/asphalt, far from your base, with water ready.
What’s different in B42 (so muscle memory stops betraying you)
- Corpse interaction feels stricter: “close enough” often isn’t enough—get bodies on the same tile as the flame source.
- Setup matters more: if you light first and fiddle second, you’re juggling a live grenade.
Pick your disposal method (honest comparison)
| Method | What you need | Speed | Risk | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Campfire tile burn |
Stones/campfire + fuel + lighter/matches | Medium | Medium | Solo cleanup with control |
 Gasoline “Burn Corpse” |
Gasoline + lighter/matches | Fast | High | Big piles when you can stand back |
| Dumpster deletion (if allowed) | Dumpster/trash can access | Very fast | Low | Safehouse cleanup, low drama |
 Graves |
Shovel + time | Slow | Low | “No fire” servers / roleplay runs |
| Wait it out (corpse removal) | Time | Very slow | Low | Sandbox/servers tuned for it |
Prep: build a burn pad (2 minutes that saves 2 hours)
- Surface: asphalt/concrete is king. Grass is a liar.
- Clear the area: no dropped loot, no extra fuel piles, no vehicles parked “kinda close.”
- Line of retreat: know where you’ll run if you light yourself or the ground.
- Stage corpses first: dragging bodies while a fire is active is how you step into the inferno.
Method A: Campfire tile burn (most controlled)
Repeatable results come from one rule: corpses must be on the campfire’s tile, not “near it.”
Step-by-step
- Place the campfire on your burn pad.
- Do not light it yet.
- Drag corpses onto the campfire’s tile. If the game is picky, reposition until the corpse is clearly over the campfire (not adjacent).
Add fuel to the campfire.
Light it with a lighter/matches.- Stay nearby until the bodies finish burning (don’t wander off and come back to “oops, the forest is gone”).
“It’s lit, but the bodies aren’t burning” fixes
| Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|
| Only one corpse burns | Move the other corpses so they’re on the same tile as the fire (not next to it). |
| None burn, campfire burns fine | Re-stack: put corpses on the campfire tile before lighting, then light. |
| You can’t position corpses well | Zoom in; rotate your camera; drag/drop from different angles until placement snaps. |
| Everything catches except the corpses | You’re on a bad surface or too close to flammables—move the whole operation to concrete/asphalt. |
Method B: Gasoline “Burn Corpse” (fast, risky)
This is the “make it stop existing” option—at the cost of higher fire risk.
Step-by-step
- Stack corpses in one tile (as tight as you can manage).
- Put gasoline in your inventory and have lighter/matches.
- Right-click a corpse in the pile and look for Burn Corpse.
- Do it from a safe angle with your escape route clear.
- Back up immediately once it ignites.
Troubleshooting (B42 “why won’t this work?” edition)
Two common gotchas
- Only one corpse burns: assume placement, not “bug.” Re-stack onto the burning tile.
- Server saves: some servers disable or heavily tune fire; confirm settings before you waste an hour.
If fire is disabled (or you value your safehouse): alternatives
Dumpster / trash deletion
If you have access to a dumpster-style container with a delete option, it’s instant and doesn’t create a second emergency.
Graves
Slow, but reliable. If you already run shovel-forward, this is the boring-on-purpose solution.
Stage piles away from home
If fire is too scary early, move bodies away so you’re not bathing in corpse sickness. Cleanup doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing on day one.
Multiplayer notes (B42 Unstable MP)
- Talk to your server admin: fire may be disabled for grief prevention or tuned differently than you expect.
- Don’t burn near communal bases: someone will jog through at the worst moment.
- Test once, away from everything: burn a single corpse on a concrete pad to confirm behavior before you commit a whole horde pile.
Quick FAQ
Patch history (collapsible)
Action steps recap
Build a concrete/asphalt burn pad, stack corpses onto the exact fire tile, ignite via campfire or gasoline, and keep water + distance until it’s done.
