Fire lighting in Bushcraft comes in many forms, from ancient methods such as the Bow Drill and Fire Plough to the modern techniques like fire-steels and lighters. To be able to successfully light a fire you first need to be able to understand how a fire works. The simplest way to explain how a fire works is by using the fire triangle. The fire triangle demonstrates the 3 core needs of a fire.Take one away and you will not be able to create fire.
Without fuel there will be nothing for the ignition source to light, without ignition there will be nothing to light the fuel and without oxygen the ignition will be smothered and extinguish. If greater quantities of either oxygen or fuel are added after the fire is lit, then the greater the fire will become, although too much fuel can smother a fire by taking away the oxygen and too much oxygen can blow out a flame so care is needed.
The best way to use the fire triangle to your advantage by structuring your fire correctly. There are a variety of structures you can use but the simplest, in my own opinion, is the platform fire.
The platform fire is designed to raise the fire off the ground away from any moisture and allow a lit tinder to be passed underneath to ease ignition.
First of all you need to gather all your fire lighting materials and fuel for once it's lit. I will usually gather enough to fill a shoebox of each size. Starting with tiny pieces like pine needles and dried weeds and working up to logs of about 3 to four inch in diameter.
Start by placing two logs about 2 to 3 inches apart with an open end facing the wind. Next take sticks and twigs, about 6 inches long and similar thickness to a matchstick and lay them across the two logs with a spacing of about a 1/2 inch. Now turn the twigs parallel to the logs and lay down another layer again, spaced about a 1/2 inch apart. Repeat this a couple of times, increasing the thickness of your twigs each layer until they are about A 1/2 inch thick. The best material I have found for this is dead nettles and brackens. Provided you have plenty of fuel to hand, you are now ready to light your tinder. Once the tinder is lit, slide it under the platform and allow it to light. once a suitable flame is established, add more of the larger fuel. Do not add the largest pieces or you will make the platform collapse. Start small and build your way up once each new size has lit.
Using this technique you should need no more than 1 match or 1 successful spark to light your fire
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