birchbark will ignite even the morning after a rain if you shelter a fragment of ember inside it

a good fire is built in concentric layers with the bark, pine needles, and other tinder cradled in the very middle

passing your hand through the top half of a new flame will not burn your skin

bacon is best cooked draped over a forked stick

the fire itself can be used to chop up gathered firewood if you have no axe

bacon grease and paper towel make a longer lasting torch than cotton strips soaked in olive oil

even if you starve them, the embers of a log will keep trying for hours to flare back into life before they finally fade