Getting a fire started in a survival situation can drastically improve your chances of survival and rescue in a variety of ways. A fire can help you stay warm, cook food and boil water, and send a smoke signal that can be seen for miles. But as important as fire is to survival, getting one started isn’t easy. That’s why it’s important to know more than one source of natural tinder to get sparks flying.
Natural tinder can come from a lot of places in nature. Dead tree branches and leaves, pine cones, tree sap, bird feathers, moss, dry grasses, and fungus are all viable implements for starting an ember that will eventually become your fire. Make sure your natural tinder is as dry as possible to get the fastest results. Although the upper layer of substrate on the ground or in the bush may be wet, digging further below it can sometimes reveal dry material.
This video demonstrates the use of 10 sources of natural tinder that can be found in many places around the world. Knowing which tinder to look for isn’t enough, however. Make sure your survival kit includes more than one firestarter, including ignitors. Ferro rods and strikers are the most popular tool carried by survival and outdoor enthusiasts, but waterproof matches and lighters and chemical tinders take up next to no space in your pack and will serve as a backup method if any other methods fail. As always, preparation and planning are the keys to surviving an emergency or stranding in the wilderness — never go out unprepared!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw0PSNytjQw]
Featured Image from liampozz/Unsplash
