Tinder Identification: Natural and Improvised Fire Starting Materials

Tinder Grades

Not all tinder is equal. Different ignition sources require different grades of tinder.

Grade 1 (spark-catching): Must catch from a brief, hot spark (ferrocerium rod, flint and steel). Requires the finest, driest, most friable material.

• Char cloth
• Amadou (tinder fungus)
• Very fine cedar bark dust
• Fine dried grass pulverized to dust
• Dried cattail fluff

Grade 2 (coal-catching): Must catch from a friction fire coal (which lasts 15-30 seconds but is less intense than a spark). Slightly coarser material works.

• Shredded inner bark of cedar, basswood, poplar
• Dried cattail fluff (coarser than Grade 1)
• Dried grass processed into a loose nest
• Dried moss (certain species)
• Fine dry leaves crumbled to powder

Grade 3 (flame-catching): Catches from a flame (lighter, match, burning tinder bundle). Can be coarser but must still be very dry.

• Dry grass in bunches
• Dry leaves
• Pine needles
• Birch bark (contains oil — catches flame easily)
• Dry wood shavings

Natural Tinder by Region

Temperate Forests (Eastern US, Pacific Northwest)

Cedar bark: Both eastern and western red cedar (also sometimes called arborvitae) produce excellent tinder from the shredded inner bark. Strip outer bark to expose the inner fibrous layers. Shred by hand into fine, fluffy material. Works dry; process near fire if slightly damp.

Birch bark: The white papery outer bark contains oil and catches fire easily even when slightly damp. Can catch flame directly. Curl into thin strips. Best for Grade 3 tinder.

Bracket fungi (Fomes fomentarius, "horse hoof fungus"): The inner spongy layer (amadou) is the best natural Grade 1 tinder. Found on dead or dying deciduous trees, particularly birch and beech. Gray, hoof-shaped fruiting bodies with a velvety tan surface below. Process by separating the inner soft layer and drying completely.

Dried cattail heads: The cotton-like seed fluff from dried cattail heads ignites easily. Grade 1-2. Best when completely dry — if damp, the moisture releases before the tinder can catch.

Dried grasses: Any fine, dead, dry grass shredded and formed into a nest. Common but requires very dry conditions. Collect in late summer/fall for optimal dryness.

Arid and Desert Regions

Dried yucca fiber: Pound and shred dried yucca leaves into fine fiber. Excellent Grade 2 tinder. The dry climate makes finding dry material easier.

Dried bark of juniper: Shaggy outer bark shredded fine. Works well in dry conditions.

Dried sagebrush: Shredded bark and fine twigs. The oils in sagebrush make it catch easily. One of the best desert tinders.

Dried prickly pear fiber: Inner dry fiber of old prickly pear pads.

Northern Boreal/Tundra

Dried reindeer lichen (Cladonia): Extremely flammable when dry. Grade 1-2. Very common in boreal forests and tundra.

Dried sphagnum moss: When completely dry, forms excellent Grade 2-3 tinder. Absorbs moisture readily — keep dry.

Dry pine needles: Fine dry needles from the ground under conifers. Grade 3.

Improvised Tinder from Civilizational Materials

When in or near buildings or vehicles:

| Material | Grade | Notes | |----------|-------|-------| | Cotton balls (petroleum jelly treated) | 1-2 | Burns for several minutes; excellent prep | | Steel wool (fine, 0000) | 1 | For electrical ignition only; see battery article | | Cotton balls (dry) | 1-2 | Catches spark easily | | Dryer lint | 2-3 | Burns readily; slightly unpredictable | | Char cloth (homemade) | 1 | Best spark catcher available | | Dry newspaper (shredded) | 3 | Burns fast; good for kindling transition | | Cotton rope/twine (shredded) | 2-3 | Unravel and shred fibers | | Dry paper/cardboard | 3 | Very dry only; flame-catching | | Petroleum-based products (lip balm, petroleum jelly) | — | Fire accelerant when applied to tinder |

Preparing the Tinder Bundle

Shape: Form a bird's nest — cupped in both hands, with a depression in the center for the coal.

Layering: Finest material in the center depression. Slightly coarser but still fine material in the middle layer. The outer layer can be coarser still.

Size: A good tinder bundle is the size of a grapefruit when loosely cupped. This seems large — it needs to be. Too small a bundle goes out before the flame develops enough to catch kindling.

Holding: Cup the bundle in both hands. Hold slightly in front of your face. When blowing, direct breath through the side of the bundle toward the center coal — not directly down onto the coal, which can blow it out.

When it ignites: The bundle will generate smoke, then suddenly burst into flame. At that moment, hold it away from your face and lower it quickly into your prepared fire lay, under the kindling. Don't wait — the bundle burns for only 20-45 seconds.