GRIDFALLSurvival
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Fire & Heat · 30 minutes · Basic

Start a Fire Without Matches

Ferro rod, tinder bundle and the teepee lay—a fire you can light in wind and damp weather.

This is for educational purposes only. Not professional medical, electrical, or safety advice.

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Start a Fire Without Matches
  1. 01

    Gather three piles first

    Tinder, kindling and fuel—enough of each to fill two hands before you strike a single spark.

  2. 02

    Build a tinder nest

    Fluff the tinder into a bird's-nest shape about the size of a fist on a dry platform of sticks.

  3. 03

    Strike low and close

    Hold the rod in the tinder and pull the rod back away from the striker so sparks land without scattering the nest.

  4. 04

    Feed gently

    Once flame catches, add kindling in a teepee around it. Breathe low and slow at the base.

  5. 05

    Scale up

    Add fuel wood only once kindling burns strong. Keep an extinguishing supply nearby.