i ran this photo a few years ago,a one match fire made after a downpour.i found enough small dry sticks and some birch bark to get a fire going and added more until it was going and drying the wood above it.i did not split open any sticks to get to the dry wood inside.



if i had wanted a fire in the rain i would have found the most sheltered spot i could find,even if it was not where i wanted the fire in the end.any dry overhang anyplace would work and once going moved to where ever.if nothing close then a hasty shelter of leafy branches with something like a undershirt over it to keep out the worse of the rain.i have done a lot of camping and it takes a huge bonfire,well fed,to keep something going in the rain.without a tarp or shelter a fire will be over powered sooner or later.look what your wearing,that tee shirt will dry if you get a fire going,same with a jacket,even a hat over the first sticks will keep off enough rain to get something going.a square foot of foil from a kit would work great.this would be the time to really think.down on your belly and striking a match to kindling inside the hollow part of a log and then moving that fire to a bigger pile of sticks would be better than running down a Bic huddled over a wet firewood pile out in the open.so on-----