Firestarting

One of my favorite movies is “Jeremiah Johnson” with Robert Redford.  I will always remember when he is building the fire his hands are cold and he is trying to get something started so he doesn’t freeze to death.  Just about the moment he gets things going pretty well the wind blows and a huge clump of snow falls directly on the fire.  I have to laugh because it has happened to me.  The wind didn’t blow, but my fire was so big it melted the snow in the branches above me and fell right on the fire.

I am sure that we have all had some experiences building fires in adverse conditions such as wind, rain and snow.  I can build a fire almost anywhere and I always carry 5 to 10 ways to get a fire started at all times.

Here is a list of things I carry with me:

Bic Lighter – doesn’t work well when cold or wet.

Storm proof matches – I have burned myself several times with these, you had better have your tinder ready first.

            Torch Lighter – these work well for hard to start tinder

            Old Bic Lighter with top removed – works well as a flint and steel.  Doesn’t work when wet.

Binary Fire starters – work well, but take longer when it is cold.

There are some important steps to be taken when building a fire that will turn into something.

1st:      find a place out of the wind, rain and snow.  I know that sounds basic, but you would be amazed and how many times I have seen others do just the opposite.

2nd:     Start small and add to the fire slowly.  Let the tinder and small stuff get burning before you add the bigger stuff.  It is very easy to smother the fire trying to protect it from the wind or just being impatient.  I like to use “0000” steel wool to catch the spark and some hemp rope separated to create a bird’s nest.  You can carry all this in a small pouch or film canister.

            I always carry some glue sticks or plastic bottle caps to keep the fire going once it has started.  I then add larger and larger wood until I get a nice fire going.

Patience is the key.  When you are cold and wet it is very hard to do, but you can force yourself to do it.  I like to build some sort of wall around my fire, either by digging a hole for my fire or stacking rocks around it.  A wall of rocks or logs makes a nice reflector so you can enjoy the heat in your shelter.