Miles Tanner - Building the perfect fire: with or without matches in any weather

The spread of civilization may be likened to a fire: first, a feeble spark, next a flickering flame, then a mighty blaze, ever increasing in speed and power.

Nikola Tesla

F ire is such a fundamental part of our daily life, and yet we often take it for granted. Pistons fire in our car engines to get us to work, pilot lights keep the flames of our natural gas heaters burning, gas ranges heat water for our morning coffee, and wood-burning stoves and campfires warm us from the inside out.

Our relationship with fire goes way, way back. And fire itself existed well before we came to rely on it. Although the source of Earths earliest fire isnt known, a small, charred, leafless plant from nearly 420 million years ago is the earliest proof of fires existence. When conditions on Earth nearly 345 million years ago created an environment that could support woody plants and contained enough oxygen to sustain them, wildfires that resemble those we know today began to burn. When atmospheric conditions allowed for the growth of vast savannas, major fires spread.

Scholars still debate when humans began using fire with regularity; the Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa may be one of the earliest sites of regular fire use by Homo erectus. But hard proof dates back to 300,000 to 400,000 years ago. In Israel, the Qesem Cave harbors evidence of the repeated use of a single hearth, where early humans roasted meat.

The adoption of fire changed the course of history. It enabled more advanced tools, extended our days, facilitated agriculture, and altered diets. The pattern of our days was no longer dictated by the suns rise and fall; the light and warmth of fire allowed us to work and socialize deep into the night and to rise before dawn. Through cooking and smoking, fire allowed us to eat more meat and protein. It enabled us to forge sturdy tools, like pots, that increased our ability to store, cook, and carry food and water. As they still do, fires kept predatory animals and biting insects at bay. In addition to improving the everyday life of ancient people, fire became a mainstay of many religious and spiritual practices.

As one of the four classic elements, fire, with its ability to both create and destroy, is often a key element in many of the worlds religious beliefs. The ancient Greeks told the story of Prometheus, who stole fire from the gods to give to man, thus creating civilization. A similar story was told by the Cherokee, with the role of fire giver being played by Grandmother Spider, while Hindus told a tale about the hero Mtarivan.