Fire making

Nobody's first fire stays lit. The trick isn't the spark — it's the order, and the patience to follow it.

The chain

tinder    catches the spark
kindling  catches the tinder
fuel      catches the kindling

Size up, never down

Thumb-thick sticks catch from pencil-thick sticks, which catch from match-thick twigs. Build the ladder before you strike, not after.

The site

Clear a space, build a base of dry sticks off the dirt, and give the fire somewhere to breathe. A fire needs air as much as wood.