Hello All,

I have been reading this forum on and off for a year or so. It has inspired me to begin thinking about being better prepared for survival situations. There are a lot of questions that I have come up with, and I thought I would start with one regarding tire fires. I've looked for answers in this furum as well as well as the Internet and not found any good answers.

I read this forums comments on the snowbound Kim family with great interest. The Kims burned tires for signaling and possibly for heat. My questions relate starting and using a tire fire. Here are my questions:

1) How do you actually start a tire fire?
a) Can you simply light a tire holding a match to it?
b) Can you simply light a tire by holding a lighter to it?
c) Can you light a tire by sprinkling with gasoline or oil, then lighting with a flame?
d) Can you light a tire by setting the tire in a small wood fire?
e) Can you light a tire by setting the tire in a big wood fire?
f) If gasoline is needed to easily get a tire started, how much is needed? If I am running my car perodically to stay warm, I would want to make sure I save enough to light a tire, if an when I need to. This is where some other flammable substance (oil?) might be useful as a starter fluid.
2) How fast does a tire start producing significant amounts of black smoke?

I consider this important if a search plane/helicopter is flying by. It is only going to be in my area a relatively short time I assume. So will it do any good to try to light a tire fire as a signal AFTER I have seen/heard a search plane in the area? If it is going to take 15-20min to get some decent smoke, then I would think I would be better off trying some other type of quick signalling.

3) How long will a tire burn?

Tires are a very limited resource. I only have 5 available (4 wheels, 1 spare). I want to use this precious resource properly. If a tire wil completely burn in an hour, then I may use one only during good conditions or if I think it is likely somebody is around to see it. The very last tire, I might hold on to it like gold (or maybe food is a better analogy). Only use it if I actually see somebody. On the other hand, if they last for 8hrs, then I may be more willing to use them. Either sooner or under less ideal conditions. Again, I am thinking of these as signaling devices, rather than as heat sources.

4) Once lit, is it possible to put a tire out?

If a tire fire will last for 8hrs, then I might want to light one to try to signal a plane I see in the distance. But if nobdy bites in an hour, could I put the tire out to use again another time?

a) One method might be to dig a shallow hole, put tire in the hole, light the tire. To put it out, shovel dirt back on the tire.

5) How toxic is tire smoke?

While I would probably trade dieing from cancer in 10 years over dieing from the elements in a few days, I can certainly minimize my risks. Also, I don't want to die from tire fumes in 10min when I might be rescued in a few days.

a) Like any smoke, I would want to stay out of the plume from the fire, but should I be extra careful with tire smoke?
b) Would putting a wet bandana over my face help, or are the toxic fumes in tire smoke going to go right through that?
c) If a tire fire lasts many hours, then I might be tempted to dry to direct some of that heat to a shelter (car, tent, snow cave, etc.) Would this be a bad idea because the tire smoke might become more concentrated?

6) If you were stranded in the Kim's situation, how often would you burn a tire. This is assuming you don't need the tire for heat.

a) Would you burn all the tires at once to try to get a bigger more noticable smoke plume?
b) Would you burn one every day until gone?
c) Would you burn all tires except one? The last tire to save until the very last or most important?

7) Is there anything I could do to enhance the smoke produced by a tire fire?

a) Would putting wet wood on a tire fire produce more smoke or simply dilute/mask the tire smoke?
b) Would putting motor oil on the tire fire produce more smoke or would it burn so fast that it wouldn't really help?
c) Would anything else help? Plastic panels from the car, carpet from the car, transmission fluid, something else?

I look forward to your knowledge answers on this subject as well as all the associated discussions, topics, information, that your answers always seem to generate.