There may come a time during one of your camping trips when you will need to start a campfire with natural substances. There are quite a few items that will get the job done. Here are five of the best ones:
1. Pine Needles and Pine Cones
In Georgia, pine needles are quite plentiful and highly flammable. The larger ones with the pine sap still on them really tend to light up quick. My family and I have seen how fast they burn first hand. In 2011 the Okenfenokee National Wildlife Refuge caught on fire and the pine needles kept the fire raging for a long time. The best way to use the pine needles and pine cones are to put them in a pile. Once you have the pile made, position the wood around the pile in the shape of a tipi.
2. Dry Palmetto Leaves
Saw Palmetto leaves work really well as a fire starter. You can also grab a handful of the leaves and use them to fan the fire. The discarded bark from a Sago Palm or a Mexican Palm will also get a fire going if it is dry. Look for the palm tree bark that still has the fibrous strands stuck to it. They typically ignite quickly. I have used all three on previous locations with much success.
3. Dry Grass Bundles
Bundles of dry grass also tend to work well as a fire starter. They are easy to make. Just grab a handful of dry grass and use a piece of string to tie it into a tight bundle. If you don’t have string available, a green tree branch will work in a pinch.
4. Wood Chips
Wood chips are another natural fire starter that you may want to consider. Just look around for loose tree bark and pitch wood. In many cases, the pitch wood has a yellow appearance to it from the sap. Some folks also refer to pitch wood as fat wood. You can find pitch wood in the center of a fallen pine tree or tree limb.
5. Moss
Moss from trees and logs will also work as a fire starter. The drier the moss is, the better it will burn. Depending on where you are, you may find dry moss lying on the ground or you may have to scrape it off of the trees and let it dry out in the sun for a few hours. The best way to use it is to heap the dry moss into a pile before you attempt to light it up. You may also need to fan the moss pile a bit to get it going.
Killeen Gonzalez enjoys the great outdoors with her family and has traveled extensively.
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