When going hiking, hunting or fishing, we mostly take with us standard set for making a fire. This is an ordinary box of matches or a lighter, but such a set will be useless if heavy rain or wind, since the matches will become damp from moisture, and the lighter will immediately go out in a strong wind, not to mention getting wet.
If during the cold season a person gets his things wet and does not dry them immediately. The time until hypothermia occurs will be a matter of hours or even minutes. Therefore, it is extremely important to be able to quickly start a fire in such situations.

In the last article we told you. And in this article you will learn several practical ways how and where it can be applied.
So let's get started!
To get fire we need:
⦁ potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate)
⦁ glycerin
⦁ sealed container with two compartments

First, we need an airtight container made from plastic bottles, which we made in the previous article. We will store the necessary mixtures in this container. The operating principle of our method of starting a fire is based on the fact that when two chemical substances are mixed, their interaction produces a fire.
Potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) and glycerin have long found their place in camp first aid kits, if only because people have long used their healing properties to disinfect water. But when these two substances are mixed, a whole new world of possibilities opens up. This purple product can be ordered on the Internet or purchased in regular pharmacies. Potassium permanganate looks like harmless black sand, but in fact it is a powerful oxidizing agent and can be very poisonous if used incorrectly.

Well, let's now fill our container with the necessary substances. We pour potassium permanganate into one of the sections, and fill the second section with glycerin. It is very convenient to do this using a regular watering can. Glycerin is medicine and is freely sold in pharmacies, it is also used in detergents and cosmetics to soften and moisturize the skin. IN hiking conditions Some people use it to relieve insect bites and sun and chemical burns. Some people say it works as a mosquito and ant repellent.

Now we screw the lids of the containers very tightly so that nothing accidentally falls apart and leads to unforeseen situations.
You've probably already noticed that I use lids different colors for our container, this is necessary so that we do not get confused in which part of the container the mixture we need is located.

We made the container from plastic bottles, so it is completely waterproof, so all its contents remain dry, even if the container is completely immersed in water. It is not only waterproof, but also small in size and weight. Even if it is completely filled with contents, it will all weigh about 29g. This container will easily fit into your pocket or travel first aid kit.

Let's experiment with water purification in the field.
IN liter bottle We collect water, open the black side of the container (if you remember, this is where potassium permanganate is located) and with the help of tongs we take a couple of crystals and throw them into the bottle, in this way you can disinfect the water. I would like to remind you that you can only drink water from proven sources, and this method is only suitable for extreme situations when there is nothing to choose from.

Now let's check in practice how these two react chemicals when mixing them. First of all, we need to pour potassium permanganate onto a flat surface, make a small depression in the middle and fill this hole to the brim with glycerin. After which the substances will react with each other and the whole thing will catch fire. Of course, you need to prepare small branches or leaves in advance.

Ignition is usually called special liquid chemical compositions for starting a fire. As a rule, lighter fluid sold in stores is used to start a fire on a picnic or a short trip to nature. By this word we will generally understand any means that help, including tinder and kindling.

Fire ignition can be liquid, gas, solid, industrially or manually made, of natural and anthropogenic origin. Most often used as ignition:

Dry fuel, or, as it is also called, dry alcohol, is one of the most famous and most convenient means for lighting a fire.

• Special liquids for igniting fire, purchased and made by yourself;
• Flammable liquids intended for other purposes;
• Gels for ignition;
• Dry fuel;
• Plexiglas;
• Plastic;
• Rubber;
• Paraffin and wax candles;
• Cotton wool with impregnation;
• Plasticine;
• Napalm surrogate;
• Some food products;
• Paper;
• A mixture of pine resin and wood.

Fire starting fluids

These liquids are poured solid fuel, for example, coals or fuel briquettes, so that the fire flares up faster. In finished form, such liquids are purchased in specialized markets and stores.

Lighter fluids usually consist of hydrocarbons and liquid paraffins. Such liquids are relatively safe for cooking, for example, barbecue, that is, when burned, they emit almost no toxic substances that can spoil food cooked over a fire. However, such safety is not absolute: accidental ingestion or inhalation of lighter fluid can harm the body, causing poisoning. Therefore, you should keep this product away from children.

There are many known cases where a child drank lighter fluid, which usually ended the outdoor recreation - the poisoned child had to be taken to the hospital.

A man cannot drink by mistake large quantity such liquid, since it usually causes a burning sensation in oral cavity. If a small amount is swallowed, vomiting often occurs, which, due to the inhalation of volatile substances in lighter fluid and partly the contents of the stomach, can lead to damage to the lungs, and when absorbed into the blood, to damage to the kidneys, liver and brain. It is difficult to talk about specific symptoms of poisoning due to the fact that lighter fluids different manufacturers may vary greatly in composition.

Another feature of such liquids is the absence of a pungent odor, which, for example, gasoline has.

Using lighter fluids is simple, but you need to know that you must pour them strictly before starting a fire, and then throw a burning match into the fuel soaked in the liquid or light it with a long lighter.

Attention!

It is prohibited to pour flammable lighter fluids into an already burning fire, even if only coals are smoldering in it! Failure to comply with this rule has repeatedly led to burns, fires and even explosions of a container with a flammable mixture - the fire can spread along the jet. When a fire occurs, you should extinguish it by throwing earth or sand over the burning fuel: water poured into the burning liquid will only worsen the already sad situation.

The video shows what can result from improper handling of gasoline when making a fire:

Despite their popularity, such liquids are not very suitable for tourism, since they perform only one function, while multifunctionality is characteristic of tourist equipment.

Replacement for branded lighter fluids in tourism

In tourism, it is better to use alcohol from a first aid kit or gasoline from a car tank as such liquids. In addition, gasoline is sometimes carried in a backpack for burners, which are used when there is no other fuel, for example, in the mountains.

You can simply pour alcohol or gasoline into a fire made of wood, and then throw a match there.

But this option is good for dry firewood. In order to save these substances and light a fire in wet weather, pour a little sand into a tin can and water it flammable liquid and set it on fire. In this case, the fire will not be as bright, but its burning time will be much longer, which will allow the damp wood to dry and light it.

This method has disadvantages compared to the previous one. In the case of alcohol, this is its price (branded lighter fluids are much cheaper), and gasoline is bad due to its smell and ability to leak through any leaky container and spill into a backpack. In addition, both of these substances are flammable and, if handled carelessly, can lead to fire and even explosion.

Sunflower oil can be considered a good alternative to lighter fluid in tourism. Many people take it with them on camping trips to cook over a fire. In addition, oil is usually found in various types of canned fish.

Sunflower oil does not burn on its own, but allows the fuel to burn longer and brighter.

The fact that oil does not burn on its own makes it a safe fire starter. In addition, it is cheap and completely safe if it comes into contact with the body, which cannot be said about branded lighter fluids.

Contrary to popular belief, smearing burns with oil and other fats (for example, whale oil or kefir after the same sunburn) it is forbidden. This will harm the victim.

Lighting gels

Essentially these are the same lighter fluids, only in a different consistency.

Gel for starting a fire. Its main advantage over liquid is that it does not leak out of the bottle.

Compared to lighter fluids, gels burn longer and are safer to use, but like fluids, they are rarely used in tourism due to their unidirectional nature.

Dry fuel

Dry fuel (also known as dry alcohol) is a compressed mixture of hexamine and paraffin. Usually comes in the form of tablets for starting a fire.

By the way, dry fuel has nothing to do with alcohols as such.

In tourism and military affairs, it is used both independently, heating food on it, and for kindling other fuel, that is, as kindling. In the second case, a burning tablet is placed under the kindling to help the fire flare up.

Dry fuel is compact, easily ignited with one match, burns long enough, but is sensitive to moisture and is not as cheap as we would like. Due to its compactness, it, together with several small metal plates assembled into a mini-oven, is part of some dry rations used by the military and tourists on field trips.

Instead of dry fuel for starting a fire, for example, in wet weather, other options can be used, which will be discussed below.

Plexiglas

Plexiglas is one of the best options for setting fire to even damp brushwood. You can find it along the road among the garbage or prepare it in advance while in locality. For example, I made my own tourist line out of it, which performs many different tasks, but, if necessary, turns into an effective kindling.

Plexiglas is not afraid of moisture and is easily ignited with one match, having been previously wiped on clothes. It is light, almost does not emit toxic substances during combustion, and burns for a long time with an even flame.

Plastic

A number of plastics can be used effectively as kindling to start a fire. However, not all plastics are suitable: some types do not burn. For example, I was never able to achieve stable combustion of a PET bottle. But the cap of such a bottle, cut to form a sharp edge for ignition, was ignited with one match and burned, albeit very uncertainly.

It’s not difficult to find a bottle with a lid for starting a fire on a hike: they, along with other garbage, are very often found on the side of roads and even on trees, carried there by a river that overflowed its banks during the spring flood. By the way, among other garbage there are also many plastic products that, with their combustion, can start a fire from damp branches.

Candles are good because they cannot get damp or spoil. If you take one of them on a hike and don’t lose it, it will help you start a fire in any conditions.

The advantages of plastic kindling are their ubiquity, light weight and insensitivity to moisture. However, not all types of plastics burn equally well (some do not burn at all), and those that do burn can release toxic substances when ignited.

Rubber for starting a fire

Rubber has long been used by hikers and various survival experts as kindling for fires. As far as I can tell, the most popular are strips cut from bicycle camera. Although I personally had occasion to use a strip of rubber cut from the side surface of my hiking shoes and a condom wound on a thin branch as kindling - both options ignited from one match and burned with a bright flame, however, they burned out quite quickly.

Rubber products, like plastic ones, are often found among garbage brought even to uninhabited islands, so there should not be any problems with finding and making such kindling from improvised means, especially if you take care of this issue in advance.

The pros and cons of a rubber ignition are the same as those of a plastic ignition, but rubber is usually heavier and produces a lot of smoke during combustion, unlike some plastics.

Paraffin and wax candles

Among tourists, candles as kindling for a fire are even more popular than rubber and plexiglass, because unlike rubber, they do not smoke as much, and they are easier to purchase than plexiglass.

In addition, candles are often used for their intended purpose - for lighting in order to save batteries in lanterns. For example, I observed this in a camp organized in the catacombs.

If the flame of a candle is not enough to light a fire, you can wrap, for example, toilet paper around the candle, which will act as a large wick. Of course, some of the paper should extend beyond the candle. During ignition, the paper burns out, igniting the wick, which in turn re-ignites it, but now soaked in molten paraffin.

Testing a piece of plastic for its ability to burn.

My candle prepared in this way burned with a trembling bright flame, and was lit with one match.

Candles burn for a long time, are easy to light, are not afraid of moisture and can be used for lighting, which makes them good kindling. However, such kindling is unlikely to be found in wildlife.

Cotton wool with impregnation

Unlike previous options, not counting lighter fluid, cotton wool has the unique feature of being ignited by sparks, which can be obtained, for example, from an empty silicon lighter.

Cotton wool is usually found in a first aid kit, but it can be replaced with a natural analogue - cattail fluff.

Cotton wool catches fire easily, but also burns very quickly, so it is not very suitable for kindling on its own. A completely different matter is cotton balls or swabs soaked in Vaseline or paraffin (wax) melted in a water bath. This type of cotton wool ignites quickly, but burns much longer. In addition, cotton wool treated in this way is not afraid of moisture, because its impregnated outer layer reliably protects the dry inner layer.

It is advisable to prepare such cotton wool before the trip, because Vaseline is usually not put in the first aid kit, and if you have paraffin candles, then it is more advisable to use them instead of cotton wool as kindling.

But there is also hiking option, which is not widely known - lipstick can help light a fire: just lubricate cotton wool from the first aid kit with chapstick and then set it on fire.

Despite all the advantages, this method has a significant disadvantage - you need to spend a relatively long time preparing cotton wool in paraffin, and in the case of Vaseline, you will have to store the cotton wool in a special container so as not to stain other equipment in your backpack.

Plasticine as fire starter

Plasticine can be easily ignited even with one match and burns for a long time, so it can also be used as a means for starting a fire.

Plasticine is unlikely to be found in the wild, so you need to take care of purchasing it in advance.

The advantages of plasticine include the ability to form a piece the desired shape and size, long burning and insensitivity to moisture. Among other things, plasticine can be glued to brushwood in a fire in any suitable place, which is very convenient when lighting it. Disadvantages include the inability to find plasticine far from civilization and the soot released during combustion.

Napalm-V surrogate

This substance is obtained by immersing polystyrene (foam or suitable plastic utensils) in gasoline.

Napalm-B was conceived as a weapon and was used as incendiary and flamethrower mixtures in various military conflicts. However, just as any peaceful invention can cause mass death, something that was originally intended to destroy humanity can help in the struggle for survival. It’s the same story with napalm: it was intended to kill, but it can help start a fire in a difficult situation.

This surrogate may resemble plasticine in its plasticity, but when burned it produces a flame with a higher temperature (over 1200 °C) and is capable of sticking even to a wet porous surface.

Its advantages and disadvantages are the same as those of plasticine, but napalm must be prepared independently, it requires a special sealed container for storage and is more dangerous when used due to its sticky properties and high combustion temperature.

What foods will help start a fire?

In addition to the listed canned food with sprats and sunflower oil, which by themselves are not capable of burning, other food products can be used as kindling.

Thus, nut kernels burn on their own due to their high fat content. You can also use their shells as kindling, which, however, ignites worse and does not burn as confidently. For example, I had the opportunity to experiment with walnuts, which grow in our region - its kernel flares up from the first match and burns for a long time with a quiet flame.

Another good option that came to my mind several years ago and was successfully tried is lard. This is a high-calorie product that is often taken with you on hikes, especially in winter time when it is recommended to consume more fat.

Lard can be set on fire on its own: it will burn when it is slightly charred. That is why I would recommend not setting fire to a thick piece, but cutting off a strip with a pointed end from it.

But it’s better to stick a match into a piece of lard as a wick, which you then set on fire. Also, for these purposes, you can wrap the lard in toilet paper, as you did with a candle, and to prevent the paper from unfolding, pierce it through with the lard with a sharp wood chip.

Lard burns without any additional tricks; it can be cut into pieces required sizes, and fat dripping into the fire promotes faster combustion. In addition, lard is not afraid of moisture.

It is also often suggested to use chips as kindling, but this option is not suitable for camping, since no one usually takes chips with them, and they are afraid of moisture.

You usually always have kindling from food with you, except in emergency situations, and this is its big advantage. In addition, neither nuts, nor lard, nor butter, nor canned fish and stew are afraid of moisture, which is also important for wild conditions, where you often have to get caught in the rain, walk through fog, and sometimes cross water obstacles. Such kindling usually burns for a long time, but is not always easy to ignite.

Paper

This is the most famous and popular ignition due to its simplicity.

Paper, for example, toilet paper, taken from a pocket, is crumpled into a ball and placed under the fire. When set on fire, it flares up quickly, but just as quickly burns out and dies out. In this regard, it is similar to pure cotton wool, including because it can be ignited by a spark from a flint or an empty silicon lighter.

Therefore, using paper or cardboard, you can light a fire only if you have thin, dry branches that can catch fire even from this short flame.

Despite its popularity, this option has a number of significant drawbacks: as already mentioned, it burns out quickly, and is also extremely sensitive to moisture. But at the same time, paper takes up little space, weighs almost nothing and is usually available on camping trips ( toilet paper, notebooks, in extreme cases - pages from books), and when mixed with hygienic lipstick or pine resin, it can give a prolonged burning.

A natural analogue of a fire starter

As such a remedy derived from natural materials, there may be a small depression in the ground filled with pine resin, torn together with pieces of dry bark.

The resin protects the underlying bark from moisture, thereby guaranteeing good results even in wet weather.

One of the advantages is that such a mixture is prepared from scrap materials and can burn for a very long time. In my experience, I observed an hour-long burning pine bark, poured into a tin can. However, if you set fire to the resin in a hole in the ground, and not, say, in a tin can, it is unlikely that you will be able to transfer it to another place if necessary.

But it may happen that good funds for ignition will not be at hand. In this case, you need to learn how to light a fire without their help.

To be precise, ignition equipment in tourism is not intended for permanent use, but only for difficult situations when, for example, the firewood is wet from the rain, but you still need to light a fire to dry out or warm up. But even in these situations, you need to know how to light a fire without ignition in the form of auxiliary “chemistry”.

Starting a fire without igniter

To start a fire even in wet weather in the classic way without use special means To ignite, you need to prepare dry tinder, kindling and fuel.

First, let's understand the basic concepts in order to eliminate confusion in the future.

Tinder is any substance that can start smoldering or burning from a spark of the same flint; it was used to ignite fire in the Middle Ages and continues to be used today. Tinder can be classified as “burnt tinder” or specially prepared tinder fungus. About how to do good tinder ignited by the slightest spark, I told in

Kindling is something that, with its flame, allows the main fuel in the fire to flare up. The options for lighting a fire that I listed earlier can serve as kindling, but here I would like to draw attention to the kindling that can be found in the wild.

Dry straw, grass and leaves are also suitable as kindling. After rain, dry kindling can be found at the entrances to caves, under large stones, and also under spruce trees, which with their thick spruce branches protect the dry twigs on the lower part of the trunk from getting wet.

Nevertheless, after prolonged rains and fogs, even this kindling gets wet. In these cases, the “filler” of a large anthill can act as kindling in the forest. To do this with small area the upper wet part of the anthill is removed, required quantity dry kindling, which is a mixture of small dry twigs, dust and leaves, after which the removed wet part is returned to its place.

Such manipulation of the anthill will not be fatal for the ant colony even in the harshest winter. Compared to what they do with anthills brown bears, human intervention in the life of these insects is a drop in the bucket. So, if necessary, and even more so if a life-threatening situation arises, you can, without any twinges of conscience, take dry material for a fire from the ants.

Birch bark ( birch bark) is also a good material for kindling, which, thanks to its waterproof properties, remains dry even after prolonged rains and is easily lit with a regular match. It is not for nothing that in the old days, some peoples made canoes from birch bark for rafting on rivers.

However, you should not cut the bark from a living tree: this can harm it. For kindling, the bark that comes off the tree itself is enough. In addition, birch bark can also be removed from fallen birch trunks.

In its structure, birch bark is close to paper and is just as easy to set on fire.

If there are no anthills, no birch trees, no tarred bark nearby, and prolonged bad weather has not left a dry place on the surface of the earth, kindling can be done by cutting dead wood from the middle of thick branches. The fact is that even prolonged rains do not saturate thick branches with their moisture, and the middle remains dry.

You can check the dryness of the wood by touching the cut with your lips: wet wood will be cold, dry wood will be warm.

The thinner the wood kindling for the fire, the better.

Go ahead. Fuel is the basis of a fire, what it consists of. The task of the person lighting the fire is to ensure that the fuel burns. Only in this case are sufficiently large coals formed that support a stable burning of the fire.

Both branches, which can be collected directly from the ground in dry weather, and whole logs of dry trees are used as fuel. In wet weather, you can use the dry middle of a split log as fuel for a fire. If you make cuts on such pieces of wood before long twisted shavings form, they will flare up faster and easier.

After large, stable coals appear in a burning fire, even raw fuel can be thrown into it, which will have time to dry out and ignite. Of course, before throwing such fuel into the fire, it is advisable to dry it in front of this very fire, laying it around the perimeter.

For urban conditions good option are fuel briquettes made by pressing sawdust. But they are not suitable for tourism, since no one in their right mind would fill their backpack with them.

Now that all the components are ready, it's time to talk about the fire.

There are many different types bonfires suitable for different conditions. Here I’ll tell you how to organize the simplest and therefore very popular fire. It is called “Shalash”, or “Pioneer”.

This fire, after the formation of burning coals in it, can, if desired, be transformed into almost any other.

So, in order to light a fire in the “Pioneer” fire you need to:

1. Place some kindling on the ground or wood flooring (in case of wet weather or snow cover);
2. Place thin (no thicker than a match) twigs or wood chips taken from the middle of the log on top of the kindling in the form of a hut;
3. If there is smoldering tinder, it must be placed in the kindling and fanned until a fire appears, and with the already burning kindling, set fire to the kindling placed in the fire. If there are matches, they light the kindling in the fire. It is most effective to ignite kindling from below: this way it flares up faster and more reliably.
4. When the kindling and thin branches light up, thicker branches are gradually added to the fire. And so on until branches as thick as a thumb begin to burn in the fire. This is usually enough for cooking, drying things and heating.
5. At this stage, if the fire stops burning due to lack of fuel (although its supply must be taken care of in advance), it can be fanned again from smoldering coals by preparing the required amount of fuel. In addition, fresh extinct coals are ignited by the slightest spark, struck, for example, by striking a flint on a cleaver.

You can take burnt and extinguished coals with you into your backpack - it can be easier to light them than even thin twigs that have recently been exposed to rain.

It is useful to periodically fan the wood while burning, especially if the wood is half-damp and does not light well. On initial stage While the fire is small, you can blow with your mouth, but some people use a special fan to fan the fire. For a tourist, a seat (five-point seat) made of foam acts as a fan, which, among other things, performs the task of thermal insulation of a person from the cold ground.

Summarizing all of the above, I note once again that from the point of view of a tourist, hunter, fisherman or just an amateur active rest in nature, ignition products are intended primarily to simplify the task of difficult conditions. They require additional expenses for acquisition, take up extra bed in a backpack and add weight to the equipment being carried. In addition, during long hikes or emergency situations, they have the unpleasant property of getting lost or quickly running out at the most inopportune moment.

In this regard, such means should not become the reason for the lack of skills in “classical” fire-making, and in case of an emergency you need to learn to do without them.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to light a fire from wet wood without the skill. Usually store-bought ignition products come to the rescue, but these products are unreasonably expensive, so we offer you several recipes for homemade products.

Soap gel

The first and for me the most convenient is a gel made from laundry soap and 96% alcohol. To 1 part of grated soap, add 3-5 parts of alcohol (the exact ratio is different each time, probably depends on the type of soap, but this recipe is based on the example of a household soap). The soap can be melted in a water bath, or you can grate it on a coarse grater. The result should be a thick mixture, more like shampoo, which will smell very strongly of alcohol.

The advantages of this composition:

1. We coat several wood chips in the future fire and set it on fire - first the alcohol burns out, then the soap, by which time the tree lights up.
2. It’s a good antiseptic; if you dilute it with water to form a liquid soap, you get something reminiscent of the antiseptic “Soap alcohol” (used when cleaning small wounds from dirt). You can use it without diluting it - pour a drop onto your hands, rub it, and rinse with water.
3. If a bottle of alcohol is opened slightly in your backpack, the alcohol will flow out little by little, soak all your things and evaporate. If a bottle with this mixture is opened slightly, then most likely nothing will leak out, although in case the cap is completely opened, you can put a bag on the neck of the bottle and cover it with an elastic band.
4. There is no temptation to dilute alcohol with water and drink; alcohol is used only for its intended purpose.

cotton wool

Cotton makeup remover pads soaked in wax work well as kindling for a fire.

All you need to do is melt a candle in a saucepan, dip cotton pads into the wax, hold them there for 2-3 seconds so that they are well soaked. And place on baking paper to cool. Paraffin candles are also suitable. Only pads soaked in paraffin will burn less brightly and for a long time.

It is better to dip and catch the pads with long tweezers or kitchen tongs. And, of course, you should follow the simplest safety rules and wear at least an apron so as not to get burned by hot wax. Before setting fire to the soaked cotton pad, you need to tear it a little.

Taking one on short hikes is a pleasure: it burns well and weighs little.

There is another way to prepare such kindling: cotton balls and Vaseline. It is necessary to coat the ball well but evenly over the entire area with Vaseline. But the inside of the ball will remain dry, that is, there is no need to tear the ball. This way we get the effect of a candle wick. When you need to get a fire, you tear the ball from the inside, thereby exposing the dry core of the ball, which will serve as excellent kindling.

Homemade brush must be tightly pushed into a sealed container, such as a film box, aspirin, or other medicine. By the way, it is worth noting that a well-soaked ball, even if it gets wet, will still not absorb moisture due to the Vaseline shell. The shelf life of such homemade brushwood is practically unlimited, and the manufacturing process itself is simple and inexpensive.

Natural types of kindling

Below we present several natural types of fire kindling:

• Coarse dry grass from last year. Universally available, extremely efficient kindling. The weeds are broken (or crushed) into small pieces 15-20 cm long, placed loosely in the center of the fire pit, and a hut made of thin dry branches is built on top. The fire is ready with one match! True, there is one “but”. The efficiency of this type of kindling is reduced to almost zero in wet weather and during the winter thaw. Yes, and in the frost there are weeds covered thin layer frost, it will not light up immediately. So the use of this type of kindling is limited to hot summer days.
• Small dry spruce or fir twigs. In terms of characteristics and efficiency they are close to previous view kindling, accessibility is determined by the presence of spruce or fir within reach. Compared to weeds, wet “cobwebs” ignite much better; Its flammability is better even in winter. A “cobweb” is used in a similar way to weeds.
• Birch bark. Birch bark is a real find for those who have set themselves the goal of making a fire. Burns perfectly in any form: damp, rotten, taken from a living tree. The availability of this type of kindling is determined by the presence of mature birch trees, which, thank God, are one of the most common trees in our conditions. You can get birch bark either with your bare hands or using improvised means, however best results allows you to remove large layers with a knife. Two deep circular cuts are made on the tree trunk, the distance between which is determined by your desire. The annular cuts are connected perpendicularly, directed along the trunk. All that remains is to pick up the formed edge and rip off the birch bark in a layer. Next, the birch bark is placed in a compact pile in the center of the fire pit, and a hut of thin dry branches is built on top. The fire is ready.
• Bark of a dead spruce. An exceptionally effective kindling at any time of the year and in any weather conditions, it ignites perfectly when wet. Large pieces of bark make excellent fire pits in wet conditions or in winter. Accessibility is determined by the presence of spruce and fir trees - trees are very common in the middle zone. The bark easily peels off in pieces of various sizes; you just need to pick it up with any available means. This is best done with a small hatchet. It should also be taken into account that the most tarred bark is located at the butt of the tree. The collected kindling is used, similarly to the previous ones, as the basis for a “hut”. In this case, the pieces of bark are arranged in a “pyramid”, and the branches of the hut must be thick enough, otherwise they will instantly burn out.
• Resin deposits from coniferous trees. Everyone knows specific feature coniferous trees to heal damage with resin. Initially liquid and viscous, over time the resin hardens into a solid, opaque mass - this is exactly the “old” resin that is used as kindling. This type Kindling ignites when wet and is considered best for use in winter, even in severe frosts. Its availability is determined by the presence of any coniferous tree- again, there is no shortage of them middle lane Russia is not tested. The resin hardens in two forms: either in the form of nodules the size of a walnut to a fist, or in the form of nodules that deeply permeate the bark and wood around large cracks. We will need both. True, to extract the resin you will need a hatchet or a strong knife - both the nodules and the deposits are removed with a piece of the underlying bark and wood. Further use kindling similar to the previous ones - as the basis for the “hut”. The branches of the hut should be thick enough to avoid rapid burning.
• Dry heartwood of spruce, fir, and pine. Perhaps the most labor-intensive type of kindling to obtain and manufacture, the efficiency of which is significantly lower than resin, spruce bark and birch bark. However, this method can be useful during heavy precipitation, especially rain, when there is no time to look for another type of kindling, but you want to quickly dry yourself by the hot fire. So, the availability of this method is determined by the presence of a nearby dead (namely standing, not lying on the ground, dead) coniferous tree of sufficient thickness (about the size of an adult man’s thigh, no less), with a whole top. Too thin wood can be soaked with water to the very core, and in trees without a top, the core, as a rule, is already rotten and rotten. Trees standing in places with excessive moisture (lowlands, swamps), as well as larch, are not suitable for this purpose. These options will either be damp through or rotten. Having discovered suitable tree, we cut it down, easier and faster - with the help of a saw. Using a saw, we cut it into chocks and see that the core of these chocks is completely dry. We chop the selected block (or two) into 4 parts and use a sharp knife to cut out a sufficient amount of shavings and splinters from the core. Next, we build a familiar “hut” from the resulting material, the basis of which will be a neat pile of shavings, and the walls will be splinters. At first, the fire requires attention, protection from rain and regular addition of fuel (as it burns, the size of the firewood increases), but, once mature, it burns hot and is not afraid of precipitation.

Kindling for a fire is perhaps the most important and basic thing for starting a fire. Your kindling determines whether your fire will burn or you will while away cold night in the dark forest.

In this article we will look at the most common and effective kindling for a fire. Preference will be given to those kindling that can be found right in the forest. Below I have tried to list all types of fire kindling, their pros and cons.

Kindling—This is what is used to light wood.

The article will discuss 15 types of kindling, their pros and cons.

1. Birch bark
2. Smolye (resinous branches)
3. Resin (resin)
4. Luchina (fire feather)
5. Dry grass
6. Paraffin candle
7. Wax-impregnated toilet paper
8. Plain cotton wool
9. Cotton balls soaked in Vaseline
10. Plexiglas
11. Dry fuel
12. A rag (cotton wool) soaked in gasoline, acetone, kerosene, etc.
13. Ignition gel
14. Sawdust impregnated with paraffin
15. Taiga kindling

Birch bark

Birch bark is the bark of a birch tree.

Birch bark is the most preferred natural kindling. Birch bark does not get wet in the rain, catches fire and burns with a bright flame (birch bark contains tar, thanks to it the birch bark does not rot and burns wonderfully). This type of kindling has no disadvantages. However, it happens that you walk through the forest and don’t see a single birch tree, and it’s already time to sleep for the night.

Smolye (resinous branches). Smolye

Smolye is resinous firewood, chips, branches.

Resin can be found if you chop off a dry pine branch near the very base. As a rule, the most resinous branches are found where there was a fire and the trees were slightly burned, then the concentration of resin is very high.

Smolye burns very well, even after rain, if you cut off such a resinous branch, it will easily catch fire. Resin fills all the pores of the wood. For better combustion, it is recommended to plan it as finely as possible, then the tar can be ignited even with the help of a flint.

If possible, I always take a small piece of tar with me; it is very easy to burn.

Resin (resin)

Resin can be collected from pine and spruce trees. Resin deposits are very common in the forest. Resin is “pine sap”; the tree uses it to seal wounds on the trunk.

When the weather is damp, resin is an excellent kindling that burns for a long time, drying out wet wood.

Luchina (fire feather)

feather stick - feather stick, fire feather. It is a dry stick at the end with unseparated thin shavings. The shape is very reminiscent of a disheveled feather of a bird. This is a very ancient kindling. This kindling is used by many “forest” peoples, in particular the Evenks.

The disadvantages of this kindling are that it is necessary to take dry wood and a fairly sharp knife.

Dry grass

Dry grass is excellent kindling for a fire. Last year's dry grass can be found even in winter (for example, grasses such as feather grass, brome grass, etc.). In order for it to light up faster, remember it a little

The only drawback, like the previous kindling, is that the grass must be dry. And this kindling burns out very quickly.

Paraffin candle

Another type of kindling that some tourists use (they definitely used it in Soviet times) is a wax or paraffin candle. The candle burns long enough, drying the top of the branches (firewood).

The downside is that you need to bring such kindling with you; it cannot be found in the forest.

Paper. Toilet paper impregnated with wax

Toilet paper impregnated with wax or paraffin, a fairly common kindling among the so-called. survivalists (bushcrafters). It is easy to make and burns for a long time. If the paper is well impregnated with wax, then it is not at all afraid of water.

How to make kindling wax soaked toilet paper

• STEP 1.We take an unnecessary container in which you can melt the paraffin (the optimal solution is to use a canned food jar)
• STEP 2. Melt paraffin or wax and immerse toilet paper in it (you can directly in a roll (not a full roll))
• STEP 3. Dry. Kindling is ready

Disadvantages of this kindling: You have to carry it with you. You can’t find it in the forest. It literally melts in the summer))). It sticks together

cotton wool

If you use ferrocerium flints to start a fire, then this kindling will come in handy. Vata lights up at the slightest spark. With all this, cotton wool is also a multifunctional item that can be used not only as kindling, but also for its intended purpose (for medical purposes).

This kindling also has disadvantages:

• Cotton wool is a very hygroscopic material (it quickly absorbs liquid) and therefore it must be protected from water.
• And of course, this material cannot be found in nature in the form in which it is presented to the consumer (although cotton wool is made from cotton.

Although the issue of cotton wool’s hygroscopicity can be solved by soaking it in Vaseline (see below) or wax (paraffin).

Cotton wool soaked in Vaseline

Vaseline is a odorless and tasteless odorless liquid consisting of a mixture mineral oil and hard paraffins.

Vaseline is made from petroleum fractions and therefore burns very well.

To make a Vaseline-cotton ball you need:

1. Squeeze Vaseline onto the cotton wool (fluff the cotton wool first) and knead it thoroughly so that the Vaseline fills the pores (so to speak) of the cotton wool.
2. Form balls of the desired diameter from the resulting mass.
3. Place in a bag or jar

Another undeniable advantage of this type of fuel kindling is that it burns for a considerable time. You can even boil a mug of water with a Vaseline ball.

Plexiglas (plexiglass, polymethyl methacrylate)

Plexiglas is a thermoplastic plastic that burns very well. Glass for airplanes is made from plexiglass. Due to its high boiling point (about 200 degrees), it is an excellent kindling. Indispensable for winter ski trips, as it is capable of burning even damp firewood. Not afraid of moisture. It smells terrible when it burns. It was a must-have (what you need to have with you) for all tourists from the times of the USSR. Plexiglas is very difficult to extinguish, so it is better to immediately cut the sheet into small pieces for kindling

Cons: Can't ignite with flint.

Dry fuel (dry alcohol)

Dry alcohol(). Not a bad kindling. Cons:

1. Hygroscopic, damp and falls apart
2. Lighting it is quite problematic (it won’t ignite from a spark for sure)
3. It smells like ammonia, and when it burns it also stinks.
4. Costs money

Pros: One tablet of dry fuel burns for about 5-7 minutes

Cotton wool or a rag soaked in gasoline and other flammable substances

The kindling is good but there are also disadvantages:

• Must be stored in a tightly closed container (jar, etc.), as gasoline and kerosene may evaporate
• It stinks horribly. If a can of kindling opens in your backpack, you are guaranteed a persistent smell of gasoline or kerosene from all your things throughout the entire length of your hike.
• Pros: Lights well and burns great

Ignition gel

Lighting gel is a good option for kindling. Gels are sold in tubes and bottles up to 0.6 liters. A very controversial option for kindling, and it costs money. Burns out quickly (very quickly). A lot of gel is required to light wet wood.

Sawdust impregnated with paraffin

Sawdust soaked in paraffin burns well and for a long time. But the option is very labor-intensive. The sawdust fractions must be small so that the paraffin completely saturates them. Already on sale ready-made options with sulfur head

"Forest Kindling"

This is a combined kindling consisting of a piece of birch bark twisted into a tube, secured with a thread and filled with pine resin; the holes in the tube are closed on both sides with birch bark. Since this kindling is made at home, you can immediately stick a couple of matches into it.

We arrived at the place, struck matches on the firebox, and the kindling caught fire. This kindling ignites very well, burns brightly and for a long time. (This type of kindling was spotted on Helmut Weisswald's channel). Works great.

Conclusions:

What kindling do I use?

I use several types of kindling, of course it’s birch bark (when it’s possible to collect it), pine sticks (smolye) and the latest type of kindling is “forest kindling.”

Protect the environment!

Choosing the best kindling for a fire

Kebabs and other dishes cooked on the grill have long become an integral attribute of many holiday feasts. However, lovers of outdoor recreation and dachas know firsthand how difficult it can be to light a barbecue and how ignition methods differ depending on the type of fuel used, weather conditions and other factors. We will tell you how to properly and safely light a fire in a barbecue, what means you can use for this, and which it is better to avoid.

In contact with

The most common charcoal is charcoal. With a relatively low combustion intensity, it emits a lot of heat, practically does not smoke, and does not emit unpleasant odors. You can buy barbecue charcoal packaged in portioned packages at any supermarket, or you can stock up on large quantities of loose goods in advance.

In any case, high-quality coal has the following characteristics:

• made of medium or hard wood, such as birch or oak;
• hard, relatively heavy, does not crumble in your hands;
• has a dark gray or almost black color, but not ashen;
• dry, without signs of moisture;
• with a fraction of about 3-5 cm (larger ones can subsequently be crushed to the desired size).

If the coals you purchase meet these requirements, you should not have problems lighting them.

How to light a barbecue?

Unfortunately, difficulties with lighting a barbecue are quite capable of ruining the entire picnic. There are several ways to light charcoal. The choice of one or the other depends only on personal preferences and capabilities. We invite you to take a closer look at some of the options and get acquainted with their advantages and disadvantages.

Method 1. Newspaper without lighter fluid

Coals can be diluted with newspaper without the use of odorous chemicals. To do this you will need several large newspapers, they need to be rolled into a tube. They are then wrapped around a round object, such as a bottle. The resulting structure is placed in a grill, covered with coals, the bottle is pulled out and set on fire. Details in the video:

Method 2. Dry firewood

Practice has shown that you can easily do without liquid if you know a few simple secrets. The easiest way to light a barbecue is to light an auxiliary fire. This method will require pre-prepared dry chopped wood chips. small size. They are placed on the bottom of the grill (or directly on the coals) and lit. After they burn well, a layer of coal is placed on top of them.

To speed up the ignition process, you can increase the flow fresh air to the fire. The easiest way is to use an improvised “fan”, but often more is used complex designs like a pump or hair dryer. It is known from a school physics course that the more oxygen supplied to the combustion site, the more intense the flame, but do not overdo it so as not to burn the coals ahead of time.

Method 3. Starter

The starter is a hollow metal cylinder, inside of which there is a conical grille. The cylinder body has ventilation holes, and at the bottom there is a window for igniting its contents. The operating principle of the device is based on the physical law of movement air masses– cold air sinks down, and hot air rises higher and higher, displacing it. Thanks to the simplicity and reliability of the design, using the starter is easy and convenient:

1. The top of the cylinder is filled with small coals and installed in the center of the grill.
2. Several tablets of dry fuel are placed in the lower window, which are then set on fire with a match. If dry fuel is not at hand, you can use paper, cardboard and wood chips, but this does not always give the desired result.
3. When the dry fuel or other fire source ignites, the lower coals will begin to smolder. The heat will intensify and rise higher, obeying the law of mass movement, until all the coals ignite.
4. The starter is taken by the side handle, having previously put on special gloves, and tipped into the grill. The spilled coals are evenly distributed over its surface with a spatula or metal rod.

Many craftsmen make their own starters for the barbecue from sheet metal, steel pipes or other available materials. This allows you to save on purchasing the device, but factory designs are in most cases more efficient and safer.

Method 4. Lighter fluid

The most important task in this case is choosing the right liquid. It is strictly forbidden to use flammable household substances such as gasoline, kerosene, and alcohol. When burned, all of them emit extremely toxic gases, which will not only spoil the taste of the future dish, but can also poison your body. It's better to spend a little more money and buy a reliable one, safe remedy based on paraffins.

Attention! The disadvantage of this method is strong smell paraffin The meat may have an unpleasant taste. Professional grillers never use such liquids.

Using the liquid correctly can also be difficult. The most common mistake is to pour coals on top and immediately throw a match. In this case, the only result will be a bright flash and a few lonely flames that quickly die out. To ensure uniform ignition of the coal, you need to do the following:

1. The liquid is poured in a thin stream onto the surface of the coal, trying to cover as much area as possible. The coals should not “float” in the liquid - the optimal amount is 50-100 ml per 1 kg of fuel.
2. The fuel should absorb the liquid so much that it is almost invisible. This will take some time, so be patient.
3. Now all the coal should ignite even with one match, but it is better to light it in several places. If combustion does not begin, and pops and flashes are observed at the ignition points, the liquid has not been absorbed well enough.

IMPORTANT! Particular care should be taken when working with liquids. Do not lean over the grill under any circumstances, do not hold your hands over it, and, if possible, use long fireplace matches to ignite the fuel. Protective gloves are a good idea; by the way, they will help you hold barbecue skewers and other hot objects.

We hope that the information presented in this article was useful and helped you understand how and with what to light a barbecue in each specific situation. We wish you good luck and delicious kebabs!

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