Fatwood

Chopping through some Pine I got last year from a friend in preparation for this evenings full Moon fire, I came across some 'Fatwood'. Fatwood is the resin-impregnated heartwood of Pine; most resinous pines will produce fatwood. Why Pines? Coniferous (Pine) tree sap contains the hydrocarbon Terpene which is highly flammable, both when hardened into resin or when still wet and sticky.  It takes a light quickly and easily, burns fiercely producing thick black smoke and is a first class fire starting aid. With aid of a sharp axe I created some thin batons of fatwood to be stored in an airtight container for later use. When I need to I'll shave off small curls to use as tinder, each small baton could light several fires. If you come across any fatwood it's worth collecting, and is an invaluable fire starting resource in wet conditions.