From the thread on using a lens for fire starting, and from other comments, it seems that many of us (me definitely included) carry more than one means of lighting a fire. While I am not a fan of redundancy because it can make for an unnecessarily heavy pack, more than one means of lighting up seems like a good idea..

I began getting out in Arizona some sixty years ago, and it was simple then. You carried matches to light a fire, from materials gathered along the trail. With time, we shifted to stoves - my first ever REI purchase in 1964 was a Primus 71L stove and cookset, elements of which are still in use today. For the last several years, I have carried a canister stove and traditional campfires are a rarity, for various reasons.

Still emergencies do arise, and a good Boy Scout is always prepared. Here is what I have in my "core bag" to get a fire going:
Bic lighter in Exotac case, 25 storm proof matches in Exotac XL case, 2nd Bic lighter, also encased; beeswax candle in tin. I also carry a LMF knife which works great with canister stoves. My cook set and stove usually has yet another lighter for routine use.

This is probably a bit excessive, and I think I will ditch the second lighter, but I offer it as an example to get the discussion started. I'll bet this group can improve on this selection and develop something virtually foolproof.

Yet another consideration. I began using the LMF recently when spending time in an environment where a wild fire would have been all too easy to start and hugely disastrous. The spark easily ignited the gas stove while also dissipating quickly - safety first!!

What is the best combination of items, so that one can absolutely, positively spark flame in a controlled manner when needed? This should probably include tinder materials as well.