Every Day Fire Starters That Might Save Your Life (or at Least the Campfire)
You’ve planned a weeny roast with family and friends and the pressure to build an epic fire is on. But wait! You can’t seem to get the fire started. Or even worse, you’re out in the woods and you need to boil some drinking water but there’s nothing to use to help start that fire. Now what? Whether you’re in your backyard or in a survival situation, you most likely have multiple unconventional materials that you can use for starting fires. Bust out your ferro rod and striker or your bow drill skills and grab a few of these materials to get a fire going.
1. Doritos, Fritos, or Potato Chips
Every good weeny roast requires some greasy chips of some kind. Nacho Cheese anyone? The flammable corn oil on many varieties of chips make for a decent fire starter. Light up the chips, watch them burn, and smell the nachos.
2. Tampons
We get it, no man wants to talk about tampons. But in a pinch, they come in handy— even for you. Like cotton balls, the large surface area ignites easily and burns well. Give the tampon (or cotton balls) a good fluffing before attempting to light it. Depending on weather conditions, be sure to keep these away from wet wood or other sources of moisture.
3. Dryer Lint
In the same vein as tampons and cotton balls, we all have an unlimited supply of dryer lint. Dryer lint is a fantastic addition to a bugout bag or backpacking setup because it’s lightweight and very flammable.
4. Crayons
Crayons can be a nightmare for walls or a lifesaver during church, but they can also make a long-lasting, stormproof fire starter. They ‘re quite flammable and can usually be found in the house or in the car. Bonus, burning crayons may help you feel a bit better about the beautiful drawings on the walls.
5. Duct Tape
If you are headed out on a bushcraft, backpacking, or camping trip, don’t forget to bring your bic lighter. Before you pack it, however, wrap a few inches of duct tape around it, it may come in handy. Duct tape has hundreds of uses around the house, yard, and even in the backcountry. The incredibly sticky adhesive also has an impressive burn time.
6. Hand Sanitizer
The alcohol in hand sanitizer makes it a backup if you can’t get that fire started. Rub a little bit of sanitizer on your tinder and kindling to make sure it’s clean and ready to burn. Be careful not too apply too much or you’ll suffocate any chance of a spark.
7. Fatwood
Okay, you likely won’t find fatwood in your backyard, but it’s an incredible resource. Locate a fallen pine tree and you’ll find fatwood. Fatwood is made when resin from coniferous trees pools into a specific area, making an all weather, reliable fire starter that smells amazing. You’ll recognize fatwood by it’s strong pine scent, its oily residue, and its darker color as compared to typical pine wood. Finding this amazing material can also be a fun outdoor adventure.
8. Pencil Shavings
This may not fall in the “strange” or “unique” categories, because pencil shavings are no different from the typical sawdust and wood shavings, but no one really thinks to use a pencil to collect up tinder for starting a fire. That puts it squarely into the unique category.
9. Wine Cork
The porous and organic nature of a cork makes it a solid and reliable fire starter candidate. Soak a few corks in a jar of alcohol for a week and then let them dry. Once dry, pop them in a bag and add them to your survival kit.
10. Orange Peels
The sweet smell of oranges takes many back to the days of playing sports as a kid, chowing down on orange slices at halftime. Or maybe it reminds you or Saturday morning breakfast. Or, maybe even a fire. Yep, that’s right, oranges aren’t just packed with vitamin C, but they also have oils that are flammable. Dry out some orange peels for a few weeks, and you’ll have a citrus-scented fire starter.
What is the Best Fire Starter?
While each of the fire starters listed above works to get the fire going, each varies in its practicality. Not all of them are deserving of a place in your fire kit. In a situation where you need a fire, whether it be a camping trip or actual survival scenario, you’ll want to have multiple options for getting the fire started. Have the bic lighter with duct tape, a ferro rod and some dryer lint, and even a tampon (especially if you’re married or have teenage daughters) and flint and steel. A great activity to spend some time with your kids is making DIY fire starters by combining many of the items on this list.
DIY Survival Fire Starters for Outdoor Adventures
How to Make a Good Fire Starter for Camping
Using common household items like dryer lint, egg cartons, and sawdust, you can make all-weather, long-lasting fire starters to add to your fire kit. Here are just a few ideas:
- Stuff some dryer lint into an egg carton and cover it in crayon wax
- Melt some petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, and soak some cotton balls
- Grab some corks from Amazon and soak them in alcohol for a week and then let them dry
- Mix wax with sawdust and wood shavings and load a toilet paper tube up with the mixture
Remember Fire Making Essentials
The best way to avoid desperately pillaging your closet, pantry, or camping supplies is to be prepared. Don’t get into a situation where you have to make something work. Any time you are preparing for an outdoor adventure, take the tools you need for a fire. Start with the basics, such as a lighter, an axe, and some old newspaper. Of course, be prepared with the skills as well as the tools and resources.