The Boy Scout Technique That Could Save Your Life In A Camping Emergency

Imagine being miles deep in the wilderness after the sun has dipped below the trees and a sudden storm has left you soaked and shivering. You brought matches with you, but they're wet now. And, to make matters worse, your lighter's out of fuel. This is exactly the kind of situation where knowing how to start a fire by friction — a classic Boy Scout skill — can come in to potentially save your life. Better yet, this simple but ingenious setup only requires four items: a knife, a hearth (or fire) board, a spindle, and a nest of tinder.

Start by preparing the nest. To do this, you'll need to twist a bundle of dry plant fibers or other tinder material until they're tight enough to hold their shape and burn longer. Then, carve your spindle by using the point of a knife, and create a starter hole on your hearth board, deepening it with your spindle. From there, you'll want to cut a notch so that the punk (powdered wood) will collect in one spot. Make sure you place a leaf right underneath that notch to catch the glowing coal.

Once you've done that, it's time to get down on one knee, spit lightly on your hands for better grip, and position the spindle. Pressing hard inward and downward, start spinning it with both palms until you see a wisp of smoke and until the punk starts to show some red-hot dots. That's your sign to take the punk and drop it into your tinder nest. Finally, squeeze the nest gently, and blow on it again and again. Soon, small flames will start licking the tinder. This is your sign that it's time to place the nest on the ground to let the fire grow.

If following these steps in the middle of a crisis sounds a little too challenging for your taste, you'll be happy to hear that many bushcraft and survival-gear shops or online stores sell hearth boards you can purchase ahead of time. Alternatively, you can also pre-make one at home by cutting a strip of dry, soft wood such as cedar, cottonwood, or willow. Ideally, aim for a board that's roughly 1-inch thick and as long as your hand.

Why does knowing how to start a fire even matter? Well, for starters, if you get lost while hiking and temperatures drop, hypothermia can be lethal. Although many think this condition only occurs in freezing temperatures, just wearing damp clothes on a chilly evening of roughly 50 degrees Fahrenheit can lower your body temperature below 95 degrees Fahrenheit — the threshold for hypothermia. Throw in how long it can take for search and rescue teams to get to you in case of an emergency, and you've got a recipe for disaster.

According to search and rescue experts, a typical mission can last up to seven hours. However, they also warn that, in remote terrain, missions can stretch into the next morning. This means that having a fire is a must to help you survive a full night outdoors — even if you're nowhere near the world's most dangerous camping destinations. Plus, starting a fire can also save your life by allowing you to boil water to kill pathogens before drinking. Finally, along with wearing bright colored clothing, a fire can also help rescuers find you even faster. After all, a column of smoke is visible for miles, and three quick flashes of light — or three smoke columns in a triangle — are recognized as an international distress signal.