A variable air intake control for rapid fire starting in solid fuel burning appliances has an air intake chamber member adapted to be positioned on the top side of the solid fuel burning appliance and adapted to allow air to pass therethrough.The air intake chamber member has an air intake opening located adjacent to one end of a top side thereof and an air outflow opening adjacent an opposite end to the one end and located on a bottom side thereof.A pipe member attached to the air outflow opening at a first end and adapted to channel the air to pass therethrough and exit at a second end thereof underneath the solid fuel burning appliance to be used for rapid fire starting. A gate member pivotally attached at one end to the top side of the air intake chamber member and adapted to uncover the air intake opening in an initial position and progressively pivot and cover the air intake.An elongated connector member connected to the gate member at a distal end portion opposite from the pivotally attached one end and adapted to pivot the gate member in conjunction with a primary air supply of the solid fuel burning appliance, to thereby increase the air flow to the solid fuel burning appliance when starting a fire and thereby increase the rate at which the fire is started and burns. As the temperature sizes the the air will be reduced gradually by the primary air control U.S. Pat. No. 7,325,541.