Natural Tinders to find for fire lighting in wet conditions

  • Come along to the amazing Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.

TheNative

Tenderfoot
Feb 24, 2013
67
0
The Frontier
www.youtube.com
I personally believe it is very important to practise as much wet fire lighting as you can because if you can't get a fire going without magic biscuits then you could be in the ****.
Would be great if people would share their discoveries of natural tinders and how well they work in wet conditions.
I'll start it off..

I think dead fern/bracken is fantastic for tinder bundles because they are very fibrous and will light easily when used with a cramp ball. Ferns are usually off the ground even when dead or can be found hanging on other plants being exposed to the wind so often can be found dry even when rain is present.
 
Birch bark. Lights when wet or at any temperature.

I second that. Thats my go-to kindling as well, when I use the steel and flint method. Makes a nice "birds nest" to blow into flame. Best results with the paper thin pices of a young white or red birch.

else, old mans beard is good too. fat wood in fine shavings, dandelion at it's fluffy stage, but perhaps not when wet...
 
Last edited:
Birch bark, and any really resinous wood, made into shavings will light relatively easy. But no matter what you use, it will all come to nothing if you haven't spent the time making the bed. Putting your hard won flame onto wet ground will only put it out, so prepare a raised area, using split wood to keep your flame safe.
 
I think dead fern/bracken is fantastic for tinder bundles because they are very fibrous and will light easily when used with a cramp ball.

I seem to recall reading that Bracken is particularly carcinogenic - so great care should be taken not to inhale any of its smoke when blowing your tinder bundle.

Ogri the trog
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE