Survival: A Heathen's Prospective-Fire

There are four basics one needs for survival in the wild
1. Fire
2. Water
3. Shelter
4. Food

Today I will talk about the first thing on the list. It may be argued that Shelter should be the first thing on the list, and in may ways it it should be. I've decided to place fire at the top of the list because of all the various uses for it. I'll talk about how to start a fire, what materials you should have on you to start one, and the uses of fire.
So what should you carry. In an wilderness setting you should have various ways to start a fire. I believe in the five step plan when it comes to starting fires. They are:
1. Lighter
2. Matches
3. Fire steel
4. Magnifying lens
5. Knowledge of how to make fire with Two pieces of wood.

Lets start with the lighter. A lighter has fuel that when introduced to the spark caused by the flint and steel ignites. This is the simplest way of starting a fire. What is needed is tinder to catch the flame from the lighter and fuel (other pieces of wood) to feed the fire. Lighters are cheap and easy to obtain in an urban setting. Even if you don't smoke, having a lighter on you is quite useful. The problem with the lighter is that eventually, your lighter fluid will run out. Even if this happens, keep the empty lighter; the flint and steel still works and can still aid you in making a fire. If you don't have a lighter then you should have...

Matches! Matches are easier to obtain and in most cases are free. There are several kind of matches that you can use, but the worst kind are the cardboard match sticks. These are terrible to try to light anywhere but indoors. However you can harvest the sulfur tips which can act as tinder. You have the box of wooden stick matches. These are better than the cardboard matches, but still may be difficult to light up outdoors. Also if they get wet they will be rendered useless. If you have any of these, put them in a ziplock bag to keep them dry. The last type of matches are the military grade waterproof matches. For about $5 you can get a box and they will light up even in the rain. Okay so you didn't but the waterproof matches, your books of wooden ones are soaked, now what to do?

Well if you don't have one of these handy you may be screwed. It's called fire steel or flint and steel. They can range from $8-$30 and is your best friend in any survival situation. I personally like to use something that doubles as a multi-tool like Tool Logic's Knife, fire steel, LED signaling light, and signaling whistle in one (see image in the upper right hand corner of the article). Using a fire steel requires you to have a tinder (including sulfur heads) to start the fire. You strike down upon your tinder with the fire steel which will cause sparks that will ignite your tinder. You then feed your small fire fuel. Tinder can be anything from saw dust and wood shavings to Trees bark and brush; hell you can even use the lint in your pocket as tinder. Improvise when you have to. Use anything that you have on you and around you to survive. I also learned that digging out an "X" in the ground(several inches deep, and maybe a foot across) allows the flow of air to feed the fire. Doing something like this will give you a healthy fire.

The last two are the most difficult ways of obtaining fire. Both require skills, and the right conditions. The first of these two is using a magnifying lens to bring a beam of concentrated sunlight to ignite the tinder. Obviously you will need sunlight to do this. If you have an overcast, this will not be an option. The second, and last resort on my list is the Native American way by rubbing to sticks together. There are various methods in doing this and I will have a post dedicated on these methods. The reason why this would be a last resort for me is because it is the hardest way of starting a fire. It expends energy (energy that you need to conserve especially if there is a lack of food), and you will need relatively dry conditions in order for this to work. You will need dry tinder, two dry pieces of wood to start the friction, and a dry surface to work on. It also takes patiences and skill to succeed in doing this. The basic idea it to conserve the energy that you have when you are in a survival situation.

Now that you have your fire, I will explain why it is number one in my list. If dressed appropriately you will be fine in the environment for a while so shelter gets bumped down to number three on my list. What you need is a water source and a way to purify your water. Without iodine or chlorine tablets, you are taking a risk by drinking water from a wild source like a river or stream. Boiling your water is the best way to purify your water. You can't do that without fire.

Fire will keep you warm and help prevent hypothermia. A lot of people don't know that you can die from hypothermia in the middle of the summer. Without shelter or a heat source the elements can claim your life (I'll get more into that when I talk about shelters). Although you will have a shelter up in and around the same time as you have a fire going (especially if there are others with you) Building a fire first will help you to place your shelter strategically.

Fire is also a way to cook your food once you get it. Fire can also be used to sterilize material used for first aid, and can cauterize wounds if necessary. Finally, fire can keep predators away and can be used in defense against a predator.


All in all, Fire is one of the most important tool to use in wilderness survival.
In Frith
Ragnar

(As a side note to my readers: I know I said that I will have these articles strictly for Mondays, but I have a lot of information to put out there. Until further notice, I will be doing the Survival tips and guides five times a week. Thanks for reading!)