Let’s say that you’re out at your campsite and are ready to start a fire for the evening. You’ve got your flint and steel tools—but the second most crucial part about fire starting is using tinder that will actually catch.
After all, these sparks are so small to start with that you need to be sure you have dry and catchable tinder for a fire. Here’s what you can use:
Dried grass: Gather some dead, dry grass and roll it up into a nest for igniting. Once it begins to spark and glow, place the grass under your firewood to get the process started. But you must have the utmost control over the dried grass: This is the most common way forest fires are started.
Paper: Paper from junk mail or your local newspaper is the perfect firestarter. You can simply twist the paper into a tube to create your tinder. Of course, you’ll also need to make room in your bag to carry it. Finally, be aware that you shouldn’t use paper with a glossy finish.
Wood shavings: You can use wood shavings from dead branches and pieces of wood—but make sure you’re not using wood shavings in place of firewood if you don’t have enough to last you through the night.
Pine straw: There’s no shortage of pine straw if you’re in an area where there are plenty of pine trees.
Leaves: Since leaves are aplenty in the woods, this is one of the most popular options for fire starting. You just have to be sure that they’re dead and thoroughly dried out.