5 Ways to Build a Fire Without Matches

Although I've always thought it would be the coolest feat to start a fire without matches, I don't know that I've ever been successful.  But with this post I am recommitting to try again on our next camping trip until it works!  You never know when you will be caught without matches (or perhaps your matches have been soaked in the rain?) and need to start a fire.  It is an incredibly handy skill to have.

You should begin by collecting some good tinder.  Look for dried leaves or grass or moss that will catch fire quickly.  Make sure it is very dry.  Bundle together your tinder into a tinder nest and encircle it with dry leaves.  Char cloth (cloth turned into charcoal) is also exceptionally handy for catching sparks and smoldering slowly so you can start your fire. This is what will catch your spark to get the fire going.  Gather wood of various sizes that you can use to build your fire once you have a flame.  Start with long, toothpick-thin pieces to begin with followed by longer, pencil-thick pieces, and up to branches as thick as your arm.  If possible, try and build your fire up off of direct contact with the ground since it may be damp.  From here you can choose one of the following methods to start your fire:

1. Flint and Steel - One of the nice things about using the flint and steel method is that you can create a spark under a wide range of situations, including in the rain, the wind, the dark, etc.  If you don't have the traditional flint available, you can also substitute for quartzite (a light white, gray, or pink rock with a texture similar to sandstone yet harder than steel) or use a ferrocerium rod.  Strike the flint hard and fast with your steel (the back of a steel knife blade works great too) to create sparks.  Aim the sparks into your tinder nest and blow on it gently to ignite a flame.  If using char cloth, aim your sparks into the cloth place in the center of your tinder before blowing.
2. Batteries - If you have batteries available, they can be an easy source for sparks.  An extremely easy method involves taking a 9-volt battery and rubbing the two terminals over steel wool (the finer the better).  On a similar vein, by attaching a wire to each of the terminals in a car or boat battery, you can touch them together to create sparks and light tinder.  Just proceed cautiously.
3. Fire Piston - Fire pistons have been used for a very long time to start fires.  There are a number of models and styles to choose from.  The main idea is that a fire piston rapidly compresses and heats air to create a small "coal" that will then light your tinder.  Some people have great success with their fire pistons, and others have a hard time getting consistent results.  These are also a great solution in rainy/windy weather, but make sure you've got some really good, dry tinder.  
4. Lens - A lens is a pretty easy way to start fire.  It works by focusing the light of the sun into a small, concentrated spot in your tinder.  The only problem is that it only works when bright sun is available (not cloudy days or nighttime).  There are numerous lens possibilities.  You can use a magnifying glass, far-sighted eye glasses, a balloon, a broken light bulb, the bottom of a glass bottle.  Adding a drop of water to the glass will intensify the focus.  You can even shape ice into a lens shape and use that.  Just hold your lens at an angle and distance that will focus the sun's light into the smallest dot possible while still being circular.  It doesn't take much.  
5. Friction - And finally, there is friction.  This may be the most demanding method of starting a fire without matches.  It takes a lot of patience, elbow grease, and persistence but will make you feel like a real wilderness survival expert when you do.  You'll need to create a fireboard and drill, as well as a socket and bow if using the bow-drill method.  You could also make a fire plow.  The basic idea for both is to keep your stick moving very quickly with your hands or the bow until friction builds up, black powder is collected and heated to create an ember, and then that ember is added to your tinder to start a flame.  It sounds like a lot of work, but a task worthy of true admiration in the end.  I want to give it a try.

Make a Family Fire Escape Plan

You probably remember those fire drills in school with the flashing, blaring alarms and everyone walking outside to stand single file while taking roll.  It was boring but we loved it nonetheless because we got out of class.  And without our realizing it, we were receiving early lessons in emergency preparedness.

Recent fires raging in the western United States and other places have brought up the question, "When was the last time I made a home fire escape plan?"  And honestly, for me it has been a while.  So here are some guidelines to help us create a plan.  Set aside an evening, call all the family together, and practice where you'd go and what you'd do in the event of a fire in your home.  Save yourself the heartache of "I was going to get to it but just didn't have time!" because that won't help your family in an emergency.

1. Draw a basic map of your home showing all doors and windows.
2. Go to each room. Find two exits (usually a door and a window) and indicate them on your map.  Test all doors and windows to make sure they open easily and let your kids practice opening them.
3. Mark each smoke alarm in your home on your map with a circled SA.  Test each one to make sure it is working properly.  (You should have at least one per level in your home, typically between the sleeping areas and the rest of the house.  If you sleep with your bedroom door closed, have major appliances that could cause a fire, or smoke in your room, you will want to add an additional alarm to that room.)  
4. Pick a meeting place at the front of your house where all family members will gather.  Mark this meeting place with a star on your map.  Make sure your house/building number can be seen from the street.
5. Learn the number for your local fire department or have it easily accessible.
6. Practice your family fire escape plan with the whole family.  You should practice at least twice a year at different times of the day and with different scenarios.  Practice crawling in case of lots of smoke.  When you come to a closed door, practice feeling the doorknob and door to see if they are hot.  Practice taking alternate routes if a fire is on the other side of a closed door.  You should also teach children to stay out of the house once they have left.  If a family member or pet is trapped inside, inform firefighters immediately since they are equipped to handle such situations safely.  

You might also consider calling your local fire department to ask about taking a tour.  This can be especially beneficial for small children to be familiar with firefighters and feel more trusting of them in an emergency.

Go to http://www.sparky.org/downloads/escape_plan.PDF or http://www.scholastic.com/firesafety/escapeplan/ for free printables and helps to make a family fire escape plan.