- FERRO ROD

- TURBO FLAME LIGHTER

- MATCHES (LIFE BOAT/WATERPROOF)

- Blast match

And so on

So how ever you choose to light your fire be it modern or primitive, just remember to carry at least 2 methods with you and two methods in your head.

Then no matter what you can use the primitive methods which is in your head or the modern day alternatives which you carry.

At the most basic part of building a fire is in fact the most important.

Tinder;

Tinder is the most important part of your fire, this has to be some sort of easily lit material and needs to be very dry.

In England you can use such tinders as;

silver birch bark, king alfreds cakes (cramp balls), fomes (horse hoof fungus), also birch polypore can be used if prepared properly, char cloth and downy seed heads of many plants. These can easily be identified and utilized to make fire.

Kindling;

Kindling is the next step to making a decent fire, you need to find some fine matchstick like twigs that can either be damp or dry, you need at least 3 big handfuls of these, as this will help to establish the fire and help with the next stage.

Fuel;

Fuel logs is the step that will keep the fire going all night if prepared properly.

Sufficient heat and oxygen is needed to help with this stage, as a rule of thumb I tend to split the first few logs in half to help catch them a light. Then even mildly damp logs can be added to the fire.

HANDY HINT 1; Place a few wet logs around the fire in an organized manor to dry them out ready to be added to the fire.

HANDY HINT 2; Keep sufficient spare tinder and kindling for the night time as the fire may go out and so it may need re-starting, keep enough logs to last you all night (when you think you have enough gather the same again) this should help to keep you going.

 

One of my favourite methods of making fire is using a suitable steel striker, flint and some char cloth.

This method keeps your skills alive as you need to think about what you are doing and keeping yourself organised. Materials needed is a good steel striker, some flint or a suitable split pebble, a lidded can and a cotton t-shirt. First of all you need to make your char cloth.

MAKING YOUR CHAR CLOTH

This is a simple but effective method, first get a suitable fire going, second you need to fold the t-shirt and squeeze it in to the can, put the lid on tight and then pierce a small round hole in the lid. Then put it in the fire and wait!

You let it smoke until it goes out, thats when you know it has worked, you can always take it of the fire and check on it, if it didn't work just put it back on the fire.

NOTE: DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE GAS CATCHING FIRE, YOU CAN PUT IT OUT BY COVERING THE HOLE.