Fire Starters

FIRE STARTERS FAQS  

• Why is having a fire essential to survival?
  It provides warmth, deters wild animals and insects, serves as a signal, cooks food and purifies water. Starting a fire successfully can increase morale and the light and warmth has a comforting effect that can stave off panic and depression. It also gives a feeling of being productive and focuses attention on a task to calm the mind and encourage rational thinking.
• What do you need to build a fire?
  Starting and building a fire has three components: tinder, material that will easily ignite; kindling, small pieces of twigs, leaves or dry grass; and wood, dry pieces that are gradually increased in size to fuel the fire.
• What can be used as tinder?
  Some examples of good tinder materials include cat tail fluff, dry grass or pine needles and dandelion clocks. If an empty bird’s nest can be found, this is an ideal “tinder nest”.
• How do I start a fire?
  Igniting a fire can be done in several ways, of course, the easiest by using an instant flame. Having a set of weatherproof matches or a windproof lighter is the ideal situation to be in. Investing in a fire starter that can be easily carried or fit on a key chain is also a viable option.
• What is a fire starter?
  There are a few options including a magnesium flint fire starter, which has a strip of magnesium flint and a serrated steel striker; a spark wheel, which is a wheel made of flint that is flicked; and a ferrocerium rod and metal striker, which is a synthetic pyrophoric alloy that produces sparks when struck.
• What can I do if I don’t have a commercial fire starter?
  A fire can be started by focusing the sun’s rays intensely on a piece of paper or tinder, using a reflective surface like an eyeglasses lens, the reflector out of a flashlight or a water-filled bottle. Depending on how bright the sun is, it will heat the paper or tinder to the point that it catches fire. The tighter and more focused the beam of light, the quicker it will ignite.