Hi Folks,

I have been lurking and learning in the background for about 2 years and today I decided it was time to join your Forum. I have put together about 7 different types of small - medium survival/first aid kits from your suggestions but still need to creat a few more of the larger BOB/vehicle types and to convince my wife of the need to prepare.

I recently took a day hike to a remote Northern Ontario lake with my family for a simple hotdog/marshmellow roast and decided to light the fire using a fresnel lens I keep in my wallet. It was a sunny, warm day and I tried a variety of dry natural tinders (birch bark, pine shavings/needles, dead grass/ferns) that I have used as tinder in the past; all would char but I was unable to develop a coal.

I then remembered seeing some fungus on a white birch tree near the campsite. I collected 2 types of fungus, Birch Polypore and False Tinder Fungus. I cut the False Tinder Fungus open to expose the brown centre and focused the dot of concentrated sunlight on it from the lens. It almost immediately started smoking and produced a coal, with some effort I then lit the fire bundle of dry ferns, needles, birchbark and twigs and we were cooking in short order! It worked so well I forgot to test the Birch Polypore.

My question for ETS members is; what natural tinders have you had success lighting with a small fresnel lens?

Looking forward to sharing information with you folks in the future.

Mike