Start a fire with damp wood

by Stu Phillips, paramedic, former Cdn Ski Patrol
(Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, Canada)

I make my own firestarter using dryer lint, packed into cardboard egg carton segments. I then melt wax into each segment until well saturated. Before the wax dries, I insert two saran-wrapped strike anywhere matches combined with one windproof match to act as an accelerant.

Each segment with this self-igniter system is cut in half, (matches in each half-segment). Each segment burns for nearly 15 minutes and has many times started fires with damp wood.

Carried in a ziplock bag, the matches are doubly protected from moisture. They also make excellent emergency stove fuel, for which I've also devised a compact stove with its own small cooking pot.