Published on May 16, 2025

Fire Without Fear – Part 2: Preparing Before Lighting

🪵 Fire doesn’t start when you strike the match. It starts when you observe the forest.

In the woods, there’s a strange temptation to rush. We’re cold, wet, or just tired — and we think a flame will fix everything. But fire doesn’t like rushing. It likes respect. And it rewards those who **prepare before they light**.

Part 1 of this series explored *if and when* to make fire. This part explores *how to prepare* — with calm, with awareness, and with both feet on the ground.

🧠 Why preparation matters

Most failed fires I’ve seen weren’t due to bad technique. They were due to **poor preparation**. Not enough dry wood. The wrong size sticks. Wet ground. Cold hands. No backup plan.

Fire needs fuel, yes. But it also needs **patience** — and a clear eye for what will or won’t burn. That starts long before you reach for your lighter.

🌿 What to gather — and how

Here’s the principle I always follow:

“Never light until you’ve built the whole fire — in your head, and in front of you.”

✅ Tinder

🪶 Dry grass, pine needles, birch bark, shaved wood, cotton with wax
🧂 If it snaps and crumbles, it burns

✅ Kindling

🪵 Twigs from live trees (off the ground) are often drier than fallen ones
🌿 Look under branches: dead twigs sheltered from rain are best

✅ Fuel

🌲 Thicker sticks or small logs
💧 If wood is wet: split it. Then split it again. And again.
🪚 The **center is dry** — it’s the outer layer that holds the moisture
🔒 Keep some fuel under shelter in case of rain or night use

🛑 Before you light

Ask yourself:

🎯 Do I have at least 3 sizes of wood ready — and enough of each?
🌬️ Am I shielded from wind or prepared to control it?
🧯 Do I have a way to put this fire out — water, sand, or even time?
📍 Is my base safe, clean, and set up to reflect heat?

Only when the answers are yes… should your fingers reach for the flame.

🧰 What I keep in my fire kit

🔥 Fire steel (reliable even when wet)
🪫 Small lighter (protected in a pouch)
🧵 Waxed cloth or fatwood shavings
🧤 Gloves for gathering wood safely

💬 Important: The safe use of tools like knives, saws, or axes will be covered in a future article dedicated to tool handling.

🧭 Final thoughts

Fire isn’t just about warmth. It’s about process. And the process teaches us to **look around, gather smart, and slow down**. To build something real before asking it to burn.

One of the kindest things you can do for yourself — especially when cold or overwhelmed — is to start preparing for fire **before** you need it. Not once it’s too late.

“Fire rewards the slow thinker. And it remembers the hurried one.”