Fire Starting Techniques

5-32. Fires are started from the upwind side to protect the fragile fire-starting heat source. Several different techniques can be used to ignite tinder. These techniques support either modern or primitive methods. Isolated persons determine the best technique to use after analyzing issued and natural resources available to start the fire. While primitive methods allow for greater flexibility since they can be improvised from the natural environment, they generally require more skill and time to execute. Modern methods are the quickest and easiest method to start a fire, but they can only start a certain number of fires until the resource is exhausted. However, some modern methods, such as a metal match, can be used hundreds to thousands of times over depending upon the skill of the user.

Modern Methods of Fire Building

5-33. Modern fire-starters provide an advantage because they are specifically constructed for igniting fire, are durable, and their performance can be easily repeated. Other man-made devices can be used as an improvised fire-starter with minimal effort. Modern methods are often easier for injured isolated persons to utilize when their movement is limited. Modern fire-starters include are discussed in more detail in paragraphs 5-34—5-56.

Matches

5-34. Ensure that these matches are waterproof, stored in a waterproof container, and have a striker pad. Isolated persons take intentional precautionary measures to protect lit matches from wind. Each match that fizzles out or is blown out by wind represents one fewer fire that the isolated person can start in the future. Matches can quickly become damp due to their size and exposed wood grain. When damp, their effectiveness is reduced causing them to burn weaker or not at all. Matches that have wax coated tips can be purchased commercially. Personnel can also dip the match heads in melted wax to protect them from moisture. Strike anywhere matches are the most adaptable.

5-35. To light a match the head is raked, with evenly applied pressure through the strike, over a rough surface compatible with the match type. Once the match head is ignited, it is held with the match head pointing down at an angle so the flame can begin to climb the matchstick and gain strength. It is critical that the flame is protected from the wind during this step. Once the initial flame gains strength, the match is held near the bottom edge of tinder to ignite it. Caution is used to avoid snuffing out the small match flame by placing it into or tightly against the tinder and smothering it. Lighters are used to ignite tinder similarly to matches.

Lighters

5-36. Lighters come in butane and liquid-lighter fuel types. These can be used for a direct and sustained flame to light the tinder. Butane lighters provide better wind resistance, and are a much hotter and more concentrated heat source than liquid fuel types. For these reasons, they are a better tool for starting a fire. However, liquid fuel types can last longer and create more fires if tinder is prepared properly. Under extreme cold temperatures, lighter fuel can freeze up and not function. In such situations, body heat can be used to warm the lighter. If the fuel runs out of a liquid-lighter, the sparking mechanism can be used similar to a metal match.

Metal Match

5-37. The metal match is the most useful and versatile issued survival fire-starter when personnel are trained in its effective use. However, quality varies between metal matches and affects how easily they spark, and how hot and long the sparks burn. Personnel should conduct operational tests of metal matches they purchase or are issued to ensure they are effective. Metal matches are reliable and not effected by wet or dry conditionals, cold or hot weather, evaporation or age, and do not malfunction. Metal matches should be protected from corrosion like all metal tools. They are limited only in that they require a piece of metal with a good edge, 90-degree is preferable, to produce hot sparks. Most commercial metal matches include a striker to do this, but the back of a fixed-blade knife, tang end of a folding knife blade, or other similar tool can also accomplish the task just as well.

5-38. Depending upon its size, the quality of the metal match, and the skill of the operator, a single match can start thousands of fires. Metal matches are made of the same type material used for flints in commercial cigarette lighters. Some also have magnesium strips attached that can be scraped into tinder to create a higher flash point to more easily ignite the tinder.

5-39. Holding the striker at a 90-degree angle against the stick typically produces the best sparks. Good sparks from a metal match burn hot, fast, and can compensate for some moisture in tinder. The following are instructions for using a metal match to start a fire:

• Hold the stick in the non-primary hand and striker in the primary hand.
• Grasping the stick at the top, place the bottom end of the stick firmly on or near the edge of tinder setting on a secure base.
• Hold the edge of the striker at a 90-degree angle to the top of the stick.
• Drive the striker downward with evenly applied pressure through the strike to near the bottom of the stick. This will throw a substantial amount of sparks into the tinder of done correctly.
• Terminate the downward strike prior to the striker disturbing the tinder or recently thrown sparks to avoid snuffing them out. To avoid this, the far end of the striker (for example, the tip of a knife) can be slightly angled downward during the strike so that the tip stops the strike when it is driven into the base, rather than the entire flat side of a knife stamping out the sparks and disturbing the tinder.

Batteries

5-40. Batteries found in vehicles, aircraft, or electronic equipment can be used as a field-expedient firestarter. Two insulated wires are required in addition to the battery to utilize this method. Once wire is connected to the positive post of the battery and the other wire is connected to the negative post. The two ends are touched to a third piece of uninsulated wire. (See figure 5-6). A short in the wire will result and cause a spark or a superheated piece of metal to ignite the tinder. Similarly, fine-grade steel wool can be stretched between the two posts of the battery causing the steel wool to heat up and produce a coal.

Caution. Isolated persons need to be careful to keep any open flame away from the battery. Certain batteries produce explosive hydrogen gases that could result in injury.

Convex Lens

5-41. Use this method only on bright, sunny days. The lens can come from binoculars, a camera, telescopic sights, or magnifying glasses. Angle the lens to concentrate the sun’s rays on the tinder. (See Figure 5-7 on page 5-12). Hold the lens over the same spot until the tinder begins to smolder. Gently blow or fan the tinder into a flame.

Flashlight Reflector

5-42. A flashlight reflector can be used to start a fire by placing the tinder in the center of the reflector where the bulbs are usually located. The tinder is pushed up from the back of the hole until the hotter light is concentrated on the end and smoke results. If a cigarette is, available it can be lit and the coal applied to tinder.

Primitive Methods of Fire Building

5-43. Primitive fire-starters are developed using the resources of the natural environment. They can be time consuming to construct and require greater energy, patience, and skill to learn in comparison to modern firestarters. However, isolated persons that are unprepared or separated from their equipment can effectively use these methods to support survival tasks. Personnel that practice these skills before isolation are much more likely to be successful in constructing and using primitive fire-starters.

Flint and Steel

5-44. The type of rock most commonly used in fire starting is flint or any type of rock in the flint family such as quartz, chert, obsidian, agate, or jasper. Other stones may work. The main criteria are for a rock to be high in silica content and harder than steel. The direct-spark method is the easiest primitive method to use. Strike a flint or other hard, sharp-edged rock with a piece of carbon steel. Stainless steel does not produce a good spark. (See figure 5-8 on page 5-13). This method requires a loose-jointed wrist and practice. When the tinder catches a spark, blow on it. The spark will spread and burst into flames. Charred cloth is the preferred tinder for this method. The process for making charred cloth involves small pieces of cotton material, a small sealable metal container. Charred cloth can be made using the following instructions:

• Place a nail-sized hole in the container lid.
• Put cotton material loosely in layers inside the container and put the lid on.
• Set the container near the edge of the fire on top of hot embers.
• Once heated, smoke will penetrate the lid; an indication that the process is working.
• Once the smoke stops, the container is removed from the fire and allowed to cool.
• After it has cooled, the container is opened away from any exposed flame and stored in a water resistant container.

Fire Plow

5-45. The fire plow is a friction method of ignition. (See figure 5-9). To use this method, cut a straight groove in a softwood base and plow the blunt tip of a hardwood shaft up and down the groove. The plowing action of the shaft pushes out small particles of wood fibers. As more pressure is applied on each stroke, the friction ignites the wood particles.

Bow and Drill

5-46. The bow and drill method is simple in concept but requires significant preparation initially. Isolated persons will need to improvise several parts including a socket, drill, fireboard, fire pan and bow from materials located in their nearby surroundings. Depending upon available resources, isolated persons may be able to use man-made resources to supplement natural materials in constructing a bow and drill.

Socket

5-47. A socket is an easily grasped stone or piece of hardwood with a slight depression in one side. The depression may need to be created. The depression in the socket is used to hold the top of the drill in place as it is rotated in the V-shaped cut of the fireboard. Soap or grease can be used in the socket to cut down on friction. Rock is the best material to build a socket. Alternatively, pitch wood and very hard wood types will last the longest as sockets before the top of the spindle wears through it. Soft woods can be used, but will need to be replaced more often.

Drill

5-48. The drill should be a straight, seasoned hardwood stick about 3/4 inch in diameter and 10 to 12 inches in length. The top end is rounded so it fits into the depression of the socket. The lower end is blunt so it will produce greater friction. Octagonal sides create greater friction than smooth sides when spinning. Drills that have a slight hourglass shape or groove in the middle will assist in keeping the bow in the middle of the drill and facilitate strokes that are more efficient. The isolated person should avoid any resinous woods as they will glaze over and hinder the process.

Fire Board

5-49. The fireboard should be a seasoned soft wood board. Examples of woods that work well as fireboards are yucca, tamarack, aspen, balsam fir, basswood, poplar, cypress, cottonwood, alder, red cedar, and willow. The fireboard should be about 1 inch thick and 4 inches wide. Cut a depression about 1/2 to 3/4 inches from the edge on one side of the board. On the underside of the fireboard, make a V-shaped cut from the edge of the board to the depression. The isolated person should avoid any resinous woods as they will glaze over and hinder the process.

Fire Pan

5-50. The fire pan can be thin bark, leather, or a flat plank of wood placed under the fireboard to catch the wood dust and coals produced from the drill. Once a coal has formed, the fire pan can be picked up with one hand to transfer the coal to the tinder bundle in the other hand. The fire pan also acts as a base to protect the fireboard ground moisture.

Bow

5-51. The bow should be a strong, green stick about 3/4 inch in diameter with a length of about three feet that should extend long enough to go from the isolated persons finger tips to their shoulder. The stick should be flexible enough to bend into a bow, appearing similar a bow used to shoot arrows. The type of wood is not important, but must be strong. The bowstring can be made from some type of cordage or leather. The cordage is tied from one end of the bow to the other, without any slack. When in use, the bowstring is twisted around the drill once to rotate it as it spins or drills into the fireboard producing the friction needed to create a coal.

Tinder

5-52. Tinder used for a bow and drill fire must be very dry, fine fibrous material made into the shape of a birds nest. Grass, liken, cotton, cattail duff, or cedar bark torn into small fibers is preferred. A large amount of completely dry tinder should be collected and prepared on a dry base near the fire site and the bow and drill operation to quickly transition a coal from the fireboard to the tinder when ready.

Operating a Bow and Drill

5-53. The base, brace, tinder, and kindling are prepared prior to operating a bow and drill. The tinder is placed near the fireboard on a base to keep it from ground moisture. The following steps are taken to operate a bow and drill fire-starter (see figure 5-10 on page 5-15):

• If right-handed, the isolated person the left foot on the fireboard to secure it in place and the right knee on the ground.
• One turn of the bowstring is made over the center of the drill.
• The bottom of the drill is placed in the fireboard notch and the tip is placed in the socket held by the left hand.
• The isolated person applies pressure on the drill from the socket and makes long, smooth strokes of the bow at a steady moderate speed; each stroke makes full use of the available string as longer strokes produce better friction.
• Once a coal is produced in the mound of black wood dust on the fire pan, it begins to lightly smoke, at which time the fireboard is removed and the bird nest shaped tinder is place over the coal.
• The fire pan and bird nest are then both flipped so the bird nest is on the bottom and fire pan is on top, and the fire pan is then removed.
• The bird nest is then lightly closed around the coal and lightly waved through the air or lightly blown on with long steady breaths to heat the coal and surrounding tinder.
• The amount of smoke coming from the inside of the bird’s nest will continue to increase until it bursts into flame, at which time it is placed on the base where kindling is added.

Hand Drill

5-54. A hand drill is a simpler method than the bow and drill in that it requires less preparation. However, its operation is more difficult for some. The lower rate of rotation between the hands makes easy to use in hot and dry climates where the wood is very dry. The drill can be made of dried yucca, elderberry, and other similar wood. The fireboard is constructed of the same materials and dimensions as the one used for bow and drill fires. To operate a hand drill, pressure is applied to the top of the drill while rotating the hands to spin it in short bursts equal to the length of the hands. The hands will gradually slip down the length of the spindle. (See figure 5-11 on page 5-16). When near the bottom of the drill, the hands are repositioned and the action is repeated.

Fire Bundle

5-55. Isolated persons may need to move to meet their needs. When they do, transporting coals from a previous fire with them may be the easiest method to start a new fire. Doing so will also conserve potentially limited fire-starting resources. This can be accomplished by constructing a fire bundle to carry smoldering embers. A tin can, animal horn, hardwood box, and birch bark pouch can be used for this purpose.

5-56. Embers carried in a well-built fire bundle can last for several days. For example a fire bundle built from birch bark can be constructed by laying out a large piece of bark flat, adding a layer of wet material, then rotten wood. The coals are placed in the rotten wood and the bundle is rolled shut. (See figure 5-12 on page 5-17). The bundle should be checked occasionally to maintain the coals and ensure enough oxygen reaches them to prevent them from being extinguished.

Next Page : Chapter 6 – Shelter and Clothing