Fascinating, illustrated article speculating about (and experimenting with) the role wild mushrooms may have played in making fire. This is in the Puget Sound Mycological Society newsletter. It was reprinted from Mushroom: The Journal. http://www.psms.org/sporeprints/sp408.pdf
It discusses using common species as coal extenders and even as hearths under bow and hand drills. It recommends using birch polypore (common in Britain, I think), artist's conk, red-belted conk and tinder fungus as a hearth and suggests they may be better than wood.
It discusses using common species as coal extenders and even as hearths under bow and hand drills. It recommends using birch polypore (common in Britain, I think), artist's conk, red-belted conk and tinder fungus as a hearth and suggests they may be better than wood.