Fire changed the way human beings evolved. Its significance in the history of humanity has no parallels. The benefits of fire and its easy availability make it the most powerful tool available to men in the wilderness. But when it rains and everything gets drenched, creating a fire becomes tough. Especially when you are trying to camp after an arduous hike, a lack of fire can be quite a letdown. But you don't have to be a twisted firestarter to set fire to the rain! Here's my advice on what to do when the weather tries to prevent you from enjoying your fire.

1. Find a Covered Space

There are plenty of spaces available in the wild which can be utilized for keeping your fire lighting tools dry. Find a rock face or a grove of trees. Dig a pit if the wind has picked up with the rain. Set your stall and you are ready to light a fire.

2. Find the Fire Starting Material

Use the shredded cambium layer of a tree, which is found just under the bark, and create a dry tinder bundle. You can also use the fluff of milkweed or cattails as they are fibrous and light up easily. Gather the bundle a little while before you want to start your fire, and keep it in your pocket. Your body heat will be good enough to dry the bundle, making it ready for setting ablaze.

3. Stock Up on Wood Supplies

Always cut more wood than you actually need, as you never know how long you will need the fire for. Create a fire structure which is as high as your shin and keep the rest of the wood for later use. Make sure that you store the wet wood close to the fire in order to dry it.

4. Create a Base for Your Fire

The base for the fire should always be dry. Use smaller sticks to create a flat base on which the woods that you have cut can be laid on.

5. Construct the Structure

The structure laid out for a fire can vary greatly. I recommend that you create a teepee like structure. Start with pencil lead-thick twigs which can be found at the base of evergreen trees. Add layers of progressively larger sticks and give it a teepee like shape.

6. Ignite the Structure

For igniting the structure you created, you need to first make a small fire. Take out the now-dry tinder bundle from your pocket. Use a matchbox or a lighter to set it ablaze. Place the burning tinder under the firewood nest that you have created and watch it light up.

In case you are not armed with a lighter or a matchbox, you can also use primitive methods for lighting a small fire anytime you are in the wild. Using a fire plough is my favorite method of creating a fire. It requires you to have dried out wood cut in the form of a fireboard and spindle. To create a fire plough, follow these tips:

Make a fireboard ready for lighting Fire: Cut a groove in the fireboard. This groove will be used for creating friction using a spindle.

Rub vigorously: Take the tip of your spindle and place it in the groove of your fireboard. Start rubbing the tip of the spindle up and down the groove. You will have to work hard to create enough friction for lighting a fire.

Start the fire: Put your tinder nest at the end of the fireboard, so that you’ll plow embers into it as you’re rubbing. Once you catch one, blow the nest gently, and get a small fire going. You can use this fire to light up your stack of firewood.