Outdoor experts pride themselves on how quickly and easily they can start a fire in any condition.
And if it’s for warmth, food prep, or light, starting and maintaining a fire is one of the most important skills you should master.
So, whether you’re dealing with heavy rains, high winds, or damp tinder, knowing a few pro-level fire starting hacks and tips can be essential.
1. Set up a Tarp Before Starting a Fire
Protecting an ember or flame from rain and wind is crucial, especially at the outset of starting a fire.
A simple tarp setup can provide protection during the fire making process, as well as once the fire is established.
A tarp can block sustained winds and deflect wind gusts that could instantly blow out a flame.
Likewise, a tarp can prevent rain drops or snow flakes from dousing your fire.
Depending on the weather conditions your tarp setup will look slightly different:
- For little to no wind, use a canopy tarp setup.
- For heavier winds, use a lean-to tarp setup.
Check out my how-to guide for setting up different tarp configurations.
Pro-tip: Starting a fire underneath a tarp has some risk. Check out this article for more information on how to start a fire underneath a tarp safely.
2. Utilize Old Bee Hives and Birds Nests as Fire Starter
It’s important to always be aware of your surroundings and to make use of every advantage nature has to offer.
In this case, be on the lookout for old bee hives and birds nests. They can be repurposed as highly effective tinder for fire making.
- Bees and wasps use a combination of saliva and processed wood fibers to create their hives.
- Birds use small twigs and grass to build dense nests.
Most importantly, the construction of these structures creates a perfect fire starting product.
The high surface area and high concentration of flammable material makes sustaining a flame very easy.
Thank you Mother Nature!
3. Sock Pills and Lint are Highly Flammable
Sometimes the clothes you’re wearing can help make starting a fire a lot easier. I don’t mean literally burning your socks. Well, sort of…
The natural fabric pillings (a.k.a. fuzzy balls) from certain pieces of clothing can work as fire starter, without having to sacrifice the clothing completely.
Wool socks often have small pill balls located all over them, which can easily be shaven off with a sharp knife or scissors.
Likewise, natural fiber pants, shorts, and shirts sometimes contain lint in the pockets.
These fibers have very high surface area, so can catch a flame pretty easily. They can be used in conjunction with a ferro rod to ensure the sparks turn into a flame.
4. Flammable Camping Foods
Camping wouldn’t be the same if you weren’t roasting a marshmallows or two. But, not only do marshmallows taste delicious, they also ignite fairly easily and can sustain a flame.
Kids definitely find this out quickly after their first roast. Too much time in the heat and ‘puff’, their marshmallow is fully engulfed
The sugary ingredients and dense collection of calories makes marshmallows highly combustible fuel.
Likewise, Doritos chips are very flammable and can act as a fire start if you’re in a pinch [Reference].
So, in wet or windy conditions, adding a Doritos chip or marshmallow to a growing fire will help fuel it and give it the extra intensity needed to turn it into a roaring camp fire.
5. Using Cotton Balls From Your First-Aid Kit
In rainy conditions, finding dry tinder can be challenging. And if you’re looking to quickly start a fire, you might have to utilize items contained within your gear itself.
One such item is the cotton swabs or balls contained in most first-aid kits. The densely packed fibers are fantastic at catching a spark and igniting.
The other great thing is that most first aid kits are usually sealed in a waterproof bag to keep the contents dry. That means you can use cotton balls knowing they’ll be bone dry and will catch fire easily.
This article contains affiliate links, which help support this blog at no cost to you!