Lighting a fire with matches or a lighter

Matches and lighters are the easiest way to start a fire, but a single match only burns for a few seconds. Preparing well before you strike makes all the difference.

Get ready first

1. Choose a safe site, cleared of dry leaves and grass, away from overhanging branches.
2. Gather all your tinder, kindling and fuel within arm's reach, sorted by size.
3. Build your fire lay before lighting: a loose ball of tinder with thin kindling leaned over it like a small tent.
4. Leave a gap on the upwind side so you can reach the tinder at the bottom.

Lighting it

1. Kneel with your back to the wind so your body shields the fire.
2. Strike the match away from you, then cup it in your hands, tilted slightly downwards, so the flame climbs up the stick.
3. Hold the flame to the bottom of the tinder. Flames travel upwards, so lighting from below lets the fire spread through the whole bundle.
4. Keep it there until the tinder catches properly — a few seconds is usually enough.
5. Add kindling slowly, smallest first, as the flames grow. Don't smother them.
6. Blow gently at the base if the fire struggles. Steady, soft breaths work better than big puffs.

Using a lighter

• Keep your thumb clear of the hot metal top.
• Turn the lighter sideways or upside down only briefly; the metal heats up quickly.
• Gas lighters struggle in the cold. Keep yours in an inside pocket so it stays warm.
• If a lighter gets wet, dry the wheel and flint by blowing on them and rolling the wheel against your trousers a few times.
• Even an empty lighter will still spark and can light very fine tinder like petroleum jelly cotton wool.

Matches

• Keep matches in a waterproof container, with a striker strip.
• Storm-proof matches burn even in wind and rain, and are worth carrying.
• Count your matches and don't waste them on an unprepared fire.
• If you have a candle, light it with one match and use the candle to light the fire. It gives you a steady flame for much longer.

If it won't catch

• Your tinder may be too damp or packed too tightly. Fluff it up, or find drier material.
• You may need finer kindling. Shave thin curls from a dry stick.
• Shield the fire better from wind and rain.

Safety

Never leave a fire unattended. Keep water or soil nearby to put it out. Don't use petrol or other fuels to get a fire going — they can flare up violently and cause serious burns.

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