Although once an essential skill, the ability to start a fire without matches or modern devices like cigarette lighters is all but lost. Nevertheless, anyone can learn how to do this and successfully start a fire in any weather.
Fuel, oxygen and heat are the essential elements for fire. In this article, we’ll especially consider your options for generating sufficient heat to ignite wood, since that is the most likely fuel you would be relying on in a survival situation.
The American Indians used friction to generate that heat – well actually to generate a small hot coal. They did this by rubbing wood or other dry woody kinds of materials together. The most common approach to doing this is with the use of a bow and drill or even just a drill, made out of wood. By spinning the wooden drill very quickly against another piece of wood, this tiny hot coal can be generated. It is exhilarating to learn to start a fire this way, but everyone who has will tell you this is the hardest way to start a fire. For that reason, they usually carry a better method with them. Perhaps this is the most important lesson to learn about fire starting.
What would a better method be? My first choice is a fire steel, also known as a ferro rod. A good quality rod will produce not just one spark, but a whole shower of them. What’s more, it will work even when it’s wet, which is a huge advantage for the survivalist. You can find just about every size and style of fire steel, you just need to pick the one that’s most comfortable for you to use.
Keep in mind that you’ll only have consistent results if you light tinder first, and then use that to ignite the wood. Dry grass, bark shavings and dead tree moss make excellent tinder. You might want to carry tinder with you when you’re on your outdoor trips. Whatever method you choose, the only way to be sure you’ll be able to start a fire when you really need to is by practicing. With persistence, you can master the art of fire starting.
Griz Garzo writes on wilderness survival and primitive skills from his mountain home in the northwestern United States.
