How Do You Start a Fire in Wilderness Emergencies?
You've got no starting fluid, and you're limited on flint or matches. It's been raining, and the temperature is dropping. But dit's still possible to start a fire out in the middle of nowhere? Here are some of my favorite hacks - and yes, I've tried all of these at least once.
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Vaseline-Coated Cotton b***s: Soak cotton b***s in petroleum jelly and store them in a waterproof container. Fluff your cotton ball and ignite it; the petroleum jelly acts as an accelerant and allows the cotton to burn longer. Watch the video
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Dryer Lint and Egg Carton Fire Starters: Fill the compartments of a cardboard egg carton with dryer lint, then pour melted wax over each section. Once the wax hardens, cut the carton into individual segments. These homemade fire starters are lightweight and easy to ignite. Watch the video
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Steel Wool and Battery: Touch fine-grade steel wool to the terminals of a 9-volt battery. The electrical current will cause the steel wool to spark and smolder, which you can transfer to a tinder to start a fire. Watch the video
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Duct Tape Tinder: Duct tape is flammable and can serve as an emergency tinder. Tear off strips, crumple them loosely, and ignite them to help start a fire when other tinder is scarce. Watch the video
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Hand Sanitizer with Alcohol: Apply a small amount of alcohol-based hand sanitizer to your tinder. The alcohol content makes it highly flammable, assisting in igniting damp or stubborn tinder. Watch the video
OK, now I need your crazy ideas. Share them with us, and, if possible, post a video.
Yes!! I love all of these. The cotton b***s and dryer lint tricks are my two go-tos. I have used toilet paper rolls cut in half to store both methods, also. Cut in half is great, filled with either one, or a mix of both, throw it right in with the kindling, and you're set!
I've also heard of people adding essential oils to the mix to serve as a bug-repellant.
Great post!! 👍
I didn't know about the duck tape trick!! That's wicked cool. Can't wait to share some of these with my Girl Scouts. Another one I love is bundling dried herbs and using those as fire starters to help keep bugs away. It also makes the fire smell nice!