Fire: Stage 2. Tinder or Accelerant – Natural

A section in Chapter 1 of the book:
Prep Lists for Camping, Hiking, and Backpacking

This stage of tinder or accelerant catches a spark or small flame and intensifies it for extra heat (or for damp fuel). Most of these items are commonly called “fire starters”—although they lack the initial spark or flame needed to light them.

Natural

You can usually find suitable tinder out in the woods, even in wet weather—saving room in your pack for other essentials, like marshmallows.

• Bark: Birch bark, juniper bark, cherry bark
• Inner Bark: Particularly aspen, poplar, and cottonwood trees
• Fungus: Birch fungus and similar growths often burn well
• Pine or Fir: Pull off dead branches, pine cones, bark, needles, sap, or fatwood (sap-soaked wood near branch bases or tree injuries) from standing or dead trees.
• Wood Shavings: Use a knife for fuzz sticks, or use pencil sharpener to create shavings
• Split Wood: Split into the size of match sticks and pencils; and remember that even wet firewood is dry inside—split open with axe, hatchet, or knife and baton.
• Dried: Grass, leaves, dead weeds, dead plants—these may produce excessive smoke, so not always the best choice
• Fuzz: Any dry and fuzzy plants like cattail fuzz, pussy willows, moss, flower petals, or dandelion fuzz

} } }  This information is in the book “Prep Lists for Camping, Hiking, and Backpacking.” { { {