The ability to make fire is one of the most essential and useful skills anybody can learn in the event of an emergency, second only to developing suitable water. We who are committed to fundamental survival training understand how crucial it is to be able to create fire.
How To Build a Fire
The usefulness of fire in all types of survival situations makes it a potentially life-saving tool in many cases. Fire gives us 3 critical survival elements:
- Heat
- Light
- Smoke
At temperatures as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit, hypothermia is possible. Heat from a fire might prevent us from dying of exposure if we are wet. It warms our bodies while also drying damp clothing. Parasites and germs can be destroyed in meat by heating it to a certain temperature (usually around 160 degrees Fahrenheit).
At night, firelight may be used to communicate, and the smoke from a burning building during the day can also be utilized for signaling. The light from a fire frightens wild animals away since it dispels the darkness.
Smoke from a fire may also be used to smoke raw meats, which is a type of food preservation that has been around for hundreds of years. Smoke can also aid in mosquito prevention.
Ideally, you should have a lighter or matches on you in the event of an emergency, but you should also be able to start a fire from scratch if necessary. In the event that you don’t carry an ignition source with you at all times, it’s possible that you’ll get caught in a survival situation without one.
Here are some tips to get you started:
What to Look For
The Drier The Better
It doesn’t matter how good a bow drill, magnifying glass, or flint and steel are if your fuel (e.g. wood, brush, twigs, branches) is too wet/hydrated. Look for dry, cracked, dead branches on the ground rather than pulling living trees’ limbs or grabbing anything that appears even remotely green.
The only time you should use anything green on a fire is if you’re attempting to make smoke signals. Even then, you should start with dry wood and “cook” the vegetation above it.
What To Do
Start Small
The flammability of the fuel has an impact on how easily a fire will burn. The smaller the fibers in whatever it is you’re attempting to burn, the easier it will be to start. If you carefully guide the flames, a few smoky sparks in a handful of dead grass can start a roaring bonfire.
Don’t bother attempting to light even moderate-sized branches since it will be a waste of time, fuel, and precious energy. In fact, you’re probably better off lighting your kindling outside of your main wood pile and then carefully moving it beneath your larger branches once you’ve got a tiny flame going.
Remember, even a little spark can make all the difference. You’ll have a fire going in no time if you’re patient, careful, and persistent.
Be Creative
Matches, cigarettes, and friction aren’t the only methods to create a flame. Sure, they’re probably the most straightforward way to do it, but if you have inventiveness, you may figure out other ways to start a fire.
Burning ants with a magnifying glass is an awful childhood prank, but it’s also useful later in life. If you have glasses, you may focus light from the sun into a concentrated beam and quickly generate tinder using the same method. If you live in a cold environment, clearing ice might be easier with this technique.
Don’t underestimate how crucial fire is in a survival situation. Whether you need to stay warm, cook food, or seal a wound, being able to produce fire is quite important.