Fungal Fire

[Quixoticgeek]

Watching MCQBushcraft's excellent videos on Fungi for fire lighting (This one & this one) got me thinking.

According to the video Horses Hoof is not something I'm gonna find much of down in the south. Cramp balls grow on ash (an endangered species in this part), and the southern bracket involves hours of boiling to make it usable.

This got me wondering. What useful fungi should I be on the look out for here in Kent that I can use for firelighting? My main permissions are Chestnut Coppice, Hornbeam Coppice (overstood), all with the very occasional beech and oak.

What should I be on the look out for?

J

 

[bambodoggy]

I've seen horses hoof on Beech trees and cramp balls on birch....just because the book says where something will grow don't mean the fungi has read the book

 

[petrochemicals]

I have found that beefsteak mushroom smoulder well for ages rather than burning, but they do not ignite well, so how about shredding some dried stuff. Cramp balls I also have seen on birch, they may be found all over.

 

[Harvestman]

If you have access to lots of hornbeam then you really don't need fungi as fuel. The wood is superb.

Unless it is for that good old bushcrafting reason: just for the sake of it. In which case fine

The artist fungi can be ignited if they are dry, and burn slowly but steadily. I have heard it is possible to get one alight to a smoulder and sit a metal cup on it to make a hot drink, without ever detaching it from the tree.

Generally fungi are not great fuels unless very dry, or very dense. Most don't fall into either category. Birch polypore makes an ember extender, and if dried will burn, but not especially well. Dried out old puffballs can be crumbled and will ignite rather like paper, but they are gone in an instant.