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This paper is presented in an historical context and is indicative of the various rants, raves, treatises, etc., that were prevalent in the old BBS (Bulletin Board Service) days. Content has not been changed, though formatting changes may have taken place to make it more presentable. (Spelling, sentence/paragraph structure, etc.) Wherever possible, credit is given to the originating source.

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A few notes from a lecture on fire building.

Items for use as . . .

Tinder

• Birch bark
• Shredded inner bark from cedar, chestnut, red elm trees
• Fine wood shavings
• Dead grass, ferns, moss, fungi
• Straw
• Sawdust
• Very fine pitch wood scrapings
• Dead evergreen needles
• Punk (the completely rotted portions of dead logs/trees
• Evergreen tree knots
• Bird down (fine feathers)
• Down seed heads (bulrush, milkweed, dry cattails, thistle)
• Fine, dried vegetable fibers
• Spongy threads of dead puffball
• Dead palm leaves
• Skin-like membrane lining bamboo
• Lint from pocket and seams
• Charred cloth
• Wax paper
• Outer bamboo shavings
• Gunpowder
• Cotton
• Lint

Kindling

• Small Twigs
• Small strips of wood
• Split wood
• Heavy Cardboard
• Pieces of wood removed from the inside of larger pieces
• Wood doused with highly flammable materials (gas, oil, wax)

Fuel

• Dry, standing wood 
• Dry, dead branches
• Dry heart of fallen tree trunks and large branches
• Finely split green wood
• Dry grasses twisted into bunches
• Peat dry enough to burn (may be found at the top of undercut banks)
• Dried animal dung
• Animal Fats
• Coal, oil shale, or surface pools of oil.

Characteristics of various woods

Species	Ease of Starting	Cooking Qualities	Sparks	Smoke	Imparted Flavors
Apple	Difficult	Excellent	Few	Little	Excellent
Ash	Fair	Good	Few	Little	Good
Aspen	Fair	Fair	Moderate	Little	Good
Beech	Difficult	Good	Few	Little	Good
Birch	Easy	Fair	Moderate	Moderate	Good
Cedar	Easy	Poor	Many	Much	Bad
Cherry	Difficult	Excellent	Few	Little	Excellent
Elm	Fair	Poor	Few	Heavy	Bad
Fir	Easy	Poor	Many	Heavy	Bad
Hickory	Difficult	Excellent	Moderate	Little	Excellent
Locust	Difficult	Excellent	Few	Little	Good
Maple	Difficult	Excellent	Few	Little	Excellent
Oak	Difficult	Excellent	Few	Little	Good
Pine	Easy	Poor	Many	Heavy	Bad
Spruce	Easy	Poor	Many	Heavy	Bad
Sycamore	Difficult	Poor	Moderate	Heavy	Bad

 

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