Starting fire with wet wood

[bishopj]

Here one for you guy that don't know about it go to your hardware store buy some steel wool 0000 and one 9 volt battey touch battey to wool proof fire work really great even work with wet wood.

[M1 Thumb]

Which comes first, the wool or the wet wood?

[hikerboy57]

Bring a stove. You cant build fires in too many places on the AT.

[Trailbender]

Bring a stove. You cant build fires in too many places on the AT.

On my thru, I only remember CT and NJ as places you couldn't build a fire.

[hikerboy57]

No fires in GSMNP, NH and ME.

[Lone Wolf]

No fires in GSMNP, NH and ME.

since when?

[Buffalo Skipper]

When you say "No fires" does that mean no open fire? Or fire only in designated rings? Or no wood/gas stoves? Or no flames of any kind allowed?

Even a stove (except for electric) is a controled fire. Be specific.

[Rain Man]

work really great even work with wet wood.

Prove it. Show me the video.

RainMan

.

[hikerboy57]

No open fires in most of NH, ME, most national forests and parks. stoves are fine or where there is an existing fire ring.at designated campsites. I do carry a film canister of cotton balls dunked in vaseline as a firestarter in an emergency though.

[RGB]

I clap my hands and yell "Shazam!"

[4eyedbuzzard]

No open fires in most of NH, ME, most national forests and parks. stoves are fine or where there is an existing fire ring.at designated campsites. I do carry a film canister of cotton balls dunked in vaseline as a firestarter in an emergency though.

Um, I live here pretty close to WMNF and Franconia Notch SP and I'll politely suggest that you are mistaken. There are both fire and camping restrictions in places, and there are a complex set of regulations regarding WMNF, the many designated wilderness areas, and the AT corridor, but there are many places where it is perfectly fine to have an open fire, even if not in an established pit / ring. Is it good LNT practice (not in an established ring)? No. Is it "suggested" not to do it? Yes. But it is perfectly lawful.

[Iceaxe]

Another option for fire starting in wet conditions is to bring a few vasoline dipped cotton balls. They can be ignited by a spark from even an empty lighter, a match, or a flint and steel. (Dual purpose! Chapped lips, chaffed skin)
Another cheap trick for the smoking crowd is to take the celophane wrapper of a pack of cigarettes. Wad it up in a ball or a tube shape, and light it. The wrapper will burn for well over a minute.
Also Fritos corn chips burn rather well due to their oil content and the corn structure acting like a wick. (Dual Purpose! You can eat 'em)
All of these will help ignite wet wood provided it's prepared well enough.
We don't have much Birch bark here on the west coast and i am jealous of those that do cause it burns fantastic even when wet.
What i do to make fire in a wet forest is, find a dead snag (tree) and cut into the inner bark. Get a few pieces about six inches long and cut them into fuzz sticks. Twigs and sticks also work with this technique If they are relatively dry. Make small cuts(like shavings) without actually removing pieces. What you end up with looks a lot like an open pinecone. A fuzz stick will greatly improve your chances of getting a fire going in wet weather as they burn a long time and offer a very great surface area and oxygen for the flames to grow.
Of course it always comes down to how well you have prepared the wood into which you put your little starter flame.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Pistachio shells (My uncle used to leave of trail of these along the AT like Hansel and Gretel. Yeah, not the best LNT example from a Scoutmaster, but I'm sure they were biodegradable and didn't last long.

Ping Pong balls

Fritos (or other chips) as mentioned

Vegetable oil on any wicking material, even wood.

[hikerboy57]

Um, I live here pretty close to WMNF and Franconia Notch SP and I'll politely suggest that you are mistaken. There are both fire and camping restrictions in places, and there are a complex set of regulations regarding WMNF, the many designated wilderness areas, and the AT corridor, but there are many places where it is perfectly fine to have an open fire, even if not in an established pit / ring. Is it good LNT practice (not in an established ring)? No. Is it "suggested" not to do it? Yes. But it is perfectly lawful.

Thank you, I stand corrected.

[pyroman53]

As Trail Name suggests...aint no big thing. There's always dry wood in the forest. Just gotta know where to find it and how to use it. Preparation and presentation. Course I'm not sayin its fast. And when its raining cats and dogs, unless there's an umbrella or something to shelter from the rain, now that's when it gets difficult, but not impossible. And I'm not against any of the tricks mentioned here...plenty of good ideas.

I carry an ounce of really small kindling in a small baggie. Been carrying the same wad for 5 years. Haven't needed it, but its always in my pack for an emergency.

[Blissful]

No open fires in most of NH, ME, most national forests and parks. stoves are fine or where there is an existing fire ring.at designated campsites. I do carry a film canister of cotton balls dunked in vaseline as a firestarter in an emergency though.

Actually all the national forests here in VA allow it. As do most down south.

[10-K]

The very best fire starter is a canister stove.