I agree with what you are saying. But even with exceptional skills in primitive fire making, I don't believe that a person could be thrust into a survival situation in the rain, after it's been raining for a week straight, with all available combustibles wet and be able to get a fire going with wet tinder. In near-freezing temperatures without adequate clothing, that person is at risk of falling victim to hypothermia. A soaking-wet debris shelter may not be enough to ensure survival. <br><br>Admittedly, those conditions are not common in the deserts of Southern California, but in many other areas during certain seasons those conditions are quite possible.<br><br>Even in ideal circumstances, with bone-dry combustibles and plenty of daylight, could a skilled person with a serious injury such as a freshly broken arm make and use a bow-drill? Or what if a survival situation begins at night under an overcast sky? How difficult would it be just to fabricate a bow drill set in total darkness and gather all necessary supplies? I've never practiced that skill blindfolded or one-handed or under rain. Any of those 3 conditions would make primitive firemaking unreliable, and a combination of them would make it essentially impossible, I believe, for a person of almost any skill level (maybe your individual skill level could overcome those problems). <br><br>Also remember that the worse the conditions are for building a fire, that is to say the wetter, colder and darker it gets and more injured you are, the more important that fire becomes. Under those conditions you would really need that fire to ward off hypothermia.<br><br>Again, your point is well-taken and I hope that my response doesn't come off as argumentative. I agree that developing skills is more important than available equipment. I just think that if I could have only one "freebie" I would want it to be fire. Even more than a knife or shelter, etc. Not out of laziness for developing a skill, but out of respect for the level of difficulty and the benefits of the fire.<br><br>Thanks for the discussion! I enjoy reading your posts immensely.<br><br>(credit: the above scenarios borrow freely from the essay "Fire and Rain" on Doug's site)<br><br>