- Place three thumb-sized, foot-long sticks in a flat triangle formation; there should be enough space under one of the sticks to slip a match and light the fire.
- Make a pile of fine tinder on top of the triangle. Rainy day? Pick up tinder material while you're hiking and tuck it under your coat, where your body heat will dry it out.
- Build a tipi with sticks no thicker than your thumb; space 1/2-inch apart to form a cone with a 1-foot base.
- Place twigs (drinking-straw size and smaller) between the fuel sticks and haphazardly inside the tipi. 5) Stuff some tinder between sticks and on top of the tipi.
- Strike a match and slide it under the tinder pile.
