Improving tinder by cooking in ashes

[Lush]

Hi all,

Does anyone know the reason why cooking in wood ashes does improve the quality of some tinders?

I think it might have a lot to do with breaking down lignin which loosens up the cel structure of the tinder.

I was trying to find out why wood ashes works (for some tinders.) It's a lye solution.... ok, but that is what you mosly read about it. Why does a lye solution work?

Any chemists or ppl. that can confirm this lignin theory of mine?

thanks,
Lush