What is the best way to start a fire in a hurry in the outdoors without matches etc.

[Sourdough Dave]

Several good ideas here pick a few of the better ones. With something as critical to life as fire don't put all your eggs in one basket. Carry two or three different methods and I mean carry them on your person. If a fall into the water where you had to dump the pack to get out is the reason you need fire, having your only means to make fire in the pack could prove fatal. Also, being able to produce flame will not result in a fire unless you know how to build a fire. You can hold a lit match to a piece of firewood and your fingers will burn before it does. First tinder, then thin kindling, followed by bigger and bigger kindling, then small fire wood followed by bigger. It is a dying skill. Learn it and practice until it is second nature.

[huntingkid95]

Lighter if you have one with you. If not, use a piece of flint.

[Kevin Paproski]

Lighter if you have it.If you don't I would use a magneseam stricker.

[poco1994]

a lighter

[Wonko]

Found a video of my trick online, the 9 volt battery and steel wool. http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-make-fire-without-matches-or-a-lighter-9386 It really does work great.

[Christian Emter]

Definately flares. They provide a long lasting flame to dry even the wettest wood.

[USA Outback Outdoor TV]

As far as natural tinder found in the woods for a survival situation- birch bark is #1 in my book for tinder. The natural oils within the bark are quite flammable and this is excellent tinder- even when wet- to start your fire. Another option for 'take along' tinder is the lint collected from the dryer after a load of towels BUT it should be kept bone dry in a 35mm film cannister. This will all start using one of the manesium/flint combos plus shaving off bits of the magnesium are excellent as well.

As far as the mysterious condom wrappers laying around the house from the recent article-if they aren't yours, guaranteed your significant other will find a way to use all of your stuff for tinder....

Denny
usaoutbacktv.com

[Wonko]

Steel wool and a regular 9 volt battery. A non-soaped sos pad and a 9 volt battery always goes to the woods with me, just don't store them in the pocket of you pack.

[kam106]

I got one of those magnesium sticks shave some off and drag a knife blade across the striker works great

[TonyK]

Magniesium stick will do the trick! I always carried a small tin with dryer lint in it to help with the starting process. The lint catches the sparks like a pro and holds them rather well. You won't be disapointed if you try this method.

[CavRecon]

My favorite is a flint/striker with cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly.

[JARED WELLS]

go to wallmart and go to sportinggoods ask the for a magniesium stick and when you ant to start a fire if you have some twin or rope untwist the rope so you have a bunch of small strans take them and bunch them up in a blall take the magnisium stike and whith your knife strick it shold go up in seconds

[debins33]

First thing you need to get some kindling and make a small pyramid with a hole underneath for air that makes it bigger.Then take a magnifying glass and let sunlight go through it.Aim the light on some fire starter like palm tree fuzz or lint.The smaller you make the light the hotter it gets.

[Timmerland]

I have tried many different ways. Flint and steel, fire piston, firebow, etc.. The way I have found the easiest is flint and steel with some dryer lint. I store some dryer lint in a sip-loc bag, to keep it dry. With some dry tinder around it I throw a spark into it. It will catch on the first or second time. Flint and steels are not to expensive.

[nathan.grell]

flint and magnesium block, also if your hunting take the rubber piece off the butt of your gun, drill a small hole, shove some matches in there with a few cotton balls and you wont have to worry about not packing them in your survival kit.