on one of the 'survivor' shows - les stroud, i think - lit a tire fire.
the tire was off the car (why start a your car on fire too?) - and off the rim.
he laid the tire flat and placed flammable material - cloth? - inside the tire.
he then siphoned gas from the car using a tube he scrounged from the car and put the gas on the cloth and inside the tire.
got a spark and the thing lit.
there was not a lot of explanation, but it was apparent what he was doing.
no mention of tire burn life or restarting.
and i wouldn't breathe it.