How to Start a Fire in a Survival Situation | Basic Instincts | WIRED

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Published 2020-02-26

Dr. Bill Schindler, a professor of archeology and anthropology at Washington College, demonstrates a couple of the most effective methods for starting a fire in the wilderness with limited resources. "Even though you may never find yourself in a survival situation, I firmly believe that learning and practicing these primitive skills are an essential part of connecting to your past, your environment, and everything it means to be human," says Bill, explaining why it's important for everyone to have some basic survival skills knowledge.

For more on Dr. Bill Schindler’s work, follow the links below:
www.drbillschindler.com/
www.washcoll.edu/esfl
@drbillschindler

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All Comments (21)

@lord_moist 4 years ago

How to calculate algebra My brain: forget How to start a fire with your bare hands My brain: never forget, burn into memory
@notinspiredatall 4 years ago

As soon as he started mentioning all the types of trees, woods, and plants..I knew I would die if I was in the middle of the forest in winter 😂😂
@seb_5969 8 months ago

The masculine urge to learn how to build a fire at 3 am
@espressocookie8965 4 years ago

I like how he used the flake for everything, not just when creating the hearth board, but also when cutting the meat, he used it. Dedication.
@Vigo327 4 years ago

I like that this video didn't really sanitize or gloss over the sheer effort required to do this, and how much grinding failure you will endure along the way.
@skullcrushers1000 4 years ago

This guy really has perfected his technique. I've watched many people attempt the hand drill method and I've never seen someone make it look as easy as this guy does.
@bhante1345 3 years ago

A while back, I took some of my friends, all of whom lived in towns and cities at the time and brought them to a wild valley. We spent hours gathering fire wood for the weekend, and found a nice little sheltered spot for camping. We had a boulder which helped us draft wind to our fire, and we built rocks up and down to adjust as the weekend went on. Eventually we unearthed a rock slab, and used it to cover our fire, and cook raw meat as though the slab were a hot plate. It was an amazing feast and the hot plate lasted three days before in inevitably cracked. P.S. our experiment to cook eggs on a porous rock went about as well as you can imagine, we still ate though.
@glorious_help 4 years ago

JUST IMAGINE THE AWE ON PEOPLE'S FACES WHEN THEY DISCOVERED FIRE....
@huawafabe 4 years ago

I hope this guy is in my shelter group during the apocalypse
@ochacha4567 4 years ago

Me: in my bed hasn’t seen the sun in 1000 years will never need My brain: yeah, but what if?
@jacobstr 2 years ago

“Even though you may never find yourself in a survival situation, I firmly believe that learning and practicing these primitive skills are an essential part of connecting with your past, your environment, and everything that it means to be human.” Lovely quote. Cool to see this return to the primitive. Fascinating to think an ancestor figured this out since it’s so improbable and required a great deal of knowledge of one’s natural surroundings to pick the right spindle, hearthboard, etc.
@feminico2613 4 years ago

Me: aight time to sleep YouTube: How to start a fire Me: nah, I'll sleep My brain: but but wou- wouldn't it be cool if you you can start a fire with sticks?
@jamuojisan 4 years ago

13:29 background music will play once you've succeed.
@dabunnyrabbit2620 4 years ago

"you gotta lick your hands, if they get dry lick them again" sounds good so far.
@AlexBecksfan 4 years ago

this guy: "lick your hands to..." the whole world right now: "wait, that's illegal"
@minebr100 4 years ago

he is a very good teacher, i've never watched an explanation for this stuff that looked so simple and provided this much information in an easy to understand way. props to the guy
@brotherbonez 4 years ago

Moral of the story people... Always pack a lighter!
@Chilly_Billy 4 years ago

Bill, you really need to have a greater presence on YouTube. Whether it's experimental archaeology, primitive bush craft, nose-to-tail meat eating or natural sourdough, this is an enormous audience eager for your knowledge and skills. You need to have your own channel.
@BeeeHonest 4 years ago

I love the fact that he kept the failed attempt, and how to prep all the necessary materials. Brilliant!
@edwardfry8488 4 years ago

Wow! The fire style was dead on, but the fire starting with a drill or a bow was really spectacular. Everybody has read the boy scout manuals, survival books...but actually watching it happen was invaluable. I'll give it a try tomorrow. Thanks!