Firestarters
Fire starting is an invaluable skill, and one of the most important ones to master in the wilderness, especially in the Pacific Northwest. We discuss basic and advanced methods of Firestarting in our Wilderness Survival classes. That said, having the right gear will make firestarting much easier.
Scouts should have at least 2 methods for starting a fire on them on all outings.
Flame
In order to start any fire, you need to create a flame. There are many ways to achieve this and a scouts should have 2 methods with them on all outdoor outings.
Butane Lighter
A lighter is hard to beat for starting a fire. It produces instantaneous flame and can be used to start many fires.
Butane lighters do have some limitations
Easily blown out by wind
Fails to work in subfreezing temperatures
Stops sparking when wet
But with some basic Wilderness knowhow, Scouts will learn how to use these in harsh environments as well as advanced techniques of starting fires with both working and dead lighters.
Example:
Most lighters work fine
Bic is a dependable brand
Also comes in many colors - bright ones are preferred
Stormproof Matches
Quality windproof matches are hard to beat.
Examples:
15 windproof and waterproof matches
12 second burn time
12 jumbo sized windproof and waterproof matches
Each match burns for 25 seconds - which is a big deal
If you can't start a fire with these, you can't start a fire
Ferrorod
A ferrocerium rod is a classic way for starting a fire with a spark. It takes a good amount of skill and practice to master. And once learned, a ferrorod can be used to start a 1000 fires.
Ferrocerium rod are waterproof (although you should not store wet) and very durable
Most ferrorods work and perform about the same
Anything 1/4 to 3/8" should be fine
Example:
Made in Sweden
Army Version
9.5mm/0.37" x 56mm/2.20" ferrorod give you ~12,000 strikes
About 3/8" ferrorod
Scout Version
6.5mm/0.26" x 43mm/1.65" ferrorod give you ~3,000 strikes
About 1/4" ferrorod
Excellent starter rod for newer Scouts
Chinese Made
A survival instructor favorite because large size produces a lot of sparks and can be used over and over again for demonstrations
This is way more rod than you need and is pretty heavy compared to a normal sized rod
Arc Lighter
Arc Lighters use a stream or electricity to arc across two electrodes. There is enough energy to ignite tinder and slivers of wood.
An Arc Lighter is easier to use than a ferrorod and isn't affected by the cold like butane lighters. This makes them a potential option for starting fires and stoves when snow camping.
Work great at starting gas stoves
This is a great options for your primary stove igniter
Can be recharged and used over and over again
These are great at starting ember fires and igniting fine tinder
These are not good firestarters for less experienced fire bugs
Working Arc Lighter Examples:
NOTE: Piezo Igniters are NOT High Output Arc Lighters
The produce about 1000V, but very little current
A Piezo does NOT produce enough electrical current to ignite anything other than gas or fuel vapors
A Piezo is NOT an acceptable Firestarter
Some stoves, such as the MSR WindBurner and Reactor stoves will NOT ignite with a Piezo Igniter
Arc Lighters Cons
Dependance of technology
NOT waterproof
Limited number of lights per charge (hundreds compared to thousands)
Still newer technology - limited track record for each product
If you use an Arc Lighter, you should have a solid backup fire starter.
Magnesium Bar
Magnesium burns at around 4000°F and is easily ignited with a spark from a ferrorod. This is a favorite survival tool used by the US military as it works well in many environments and is durable and waterproof.
The catch is - use requires knowhow, prep work and patience.
Although this option has excellent potential and utility in a true survival situation, there are much easier methods of starting a fire.
Example:
Used by US Military
Excellent survival tool but difficult for most scouts to use
Good for older scouts
NOTE: Chinese copies of this particular fire starter often don't work
Spark-Lite
This is a favorite for ultralight hikers and has been included in many military survival kits. The Spark-Lite is good minimalist/aviation option, but requires special tinder or advanced firestarting skills.
For scouts, this system teaches them how to use basic skills to start a fire. With these skills, they can use an empty lighter to start a life-saving fire.
Example:
Used by US Military
Minimalist system
Requires special tinder and skill to master
Other Fire Starters
There are many other fire starting tools available, and we discuss use of these in our Wilderness Survival Classes. Other systems are not listed as they may not be practical for various reasons:
Not suitable for local environment
Requires high level of skill to use
Impractical
Undependable
Excessively expensive
Dangerous for younger scouts
Silly
Used for Bow Drill and Flint & Steel
Tinder
Tinder and fuel is needed to get a fire going. We show scouts how to find and use natural tinder, but this can be challenging when everything is soaking wet outside.
Scouts should have at least one of these and know how to use it.
Example Tinder Box
Steel Tin
Used to store tinder
Can be used to char tinder or melt resin
Ranger Bands
Used to hold tin closed and seal vent hole
Fire starter
Fatwood
Versatile and waterproof fire starter
Fuzz it with back of knife to make "Maya Fuzz"
Lighter
Backup fire starter (still sparks even when gas is used up)
Cotton Ball
Helps prevent rattling - but also a fire starter
Fiber Tabs
There are several different versions of these. Fibers can be fluffed up to take a spark, They burn long enough to get a fire started.
Homemade versions can be made out of cotton balls/pads/lint and petroleum jelly.
Examples:
Ropes and twine made from natural fibers also burns well and easily takes a spark once unraveled. Ropes treated with paraffin will burn much longer.
Überleben Tindår Wick (Idaho company with Scandi name)
Untreated natural fiber rope
Storage:
Mini Ziploc bags
Empty floss container
Fuel Tabs
Used to cook meals, these are great at getting stubborn fuels to burn. Alone they can be used to heat up and nice hot brew.
These will generally ignite with a spark after being roughened up with the back of a knife.
Examples:
Treated Biofuel
There are many options that combine wax and sawdust or rope to make a long burning candle of sorts.
Scouts can make these at home with a little supervision.
These generally need a flame to ignite, but with proper processing, these can be started with a spark.
Examples:
Made from Sugarcane
Fatwood
Resinous wood from Pine Trees and some other conifer trees makes an excellent fire starter. Techniques used for this tinder requires a bit of knowhow and is taught it in our Wilderness Survival classes.
Processed fatwood is easy to ignite and is long burning. Scrape it with the back of your knife to make "Maya Fuzz" that easily ignites with a spark or flame. Slivers of fatwood make great long burning matches for fire starting.
A little stick goes a long ways.
If you are savvy, you can harvest this from a rotten Fir stump or a fallen Pine.
Duct Tape
Duct Tape as many uses. It is also very flammable and can be used as a firestarter. It is a little tricky to start and produces a nasty smoke once it gets going but is a viable option in an emergency situation.
With proper processing, these can ignite with a spark. That said, most scouts will need a flame to set this tinder on fire.
Duct tape can be wrapped around a water bottle or pencil for easy storage. Wrapping some around your butane lighter creates a nice firestarter/tinder combo.
Rubber Bands aka Ranger Bands
Wide rubber bands made from bicycle innertubes have multiple uses. They can be used to hold gear together and are also very flammable. Once lit, it produces a nasty flame, but works great for starting fires if needed in an emergency.
A flame is needed to start this tinder option on fire.
Examples:
Just cut up an old innertube into bands
