# Is there enough oxygen at the top of Mount Everest to start a fire?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-enough-oxygen-at-the-top-of-mount-everest-to-start-a-fire/1019071>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Tags:** science-math\
**Created:** [June 1, 2025, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-enough-oxygen-at-the-top-of-mount-everest-to-start-a-fire/1019071 "2025-06-01T14:20:27Z")\
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**Showing post:** 24

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**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2025, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-enough-oxygen-at-the-top-of-mount-everest-to-start-a-fire/1019071/24 "2025-06-03T10:40:34Z")

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> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> Wood and matches according to the OP. Not that hard with a high enough ratio of matches to wood.

According to the table on Wikipedia

> **[Limiting oxygen concentration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limiting_oxygen_concentration)**
>
> The limiting oxygen concentration (LOC), also known as the minimum oxygen concentration (MOC), is defined as the limiting concentration of oxygen below which combustion is not possible, independent of the concentration of fuel. It is expressed in units of volume percent of oxygen. The LOC varies with pressure and temperature. It is also dependent on the type of inert (non-flammable) gas.
> Limiting oxygen concentration for solid materials
> The effect of increasing the concentration of inert gas...

you are still going to need that oxygen, and there does not seem to be enough, without even taking into account pressure and temperature more accurately.

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