When I wrote the OP, I assumed that some of the wood would be kindling.
I’m pretty sure modern fuel injection has rendered this a non-issue since as early as the mid-80s but I can state from personal experience that driving a carbureted car to the top of Pike’s Peak is no picnic. Unless you’re prepared to re-jet carbs, alter the timing, etc.
Small, old, piston-driven airplanes which predated fuel injection and computer engine management got around that by having an in-cabin control allowing you to adjust the carburetor while in flight. Airplanes have considerable altitude changes in a short time period in every flight. Cars not so much, making it less needful to have a mixture control in the car although it wouldn’t surprise me if at some point somebody tried installing one.
According to the table on Wikipedia
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.
Time for an experiment to settle the question!
- Obtain access to a hypobaric chamber. Equip it with a fire pit, firewood, kindling, Class A fire extinguisher, etc.
- Obtain a self-contained breathing apparatus, so you don’t pass out from smoke inhalation or hypoxia.
- Obtain a confederate to operate the chamber and rescue you, if needed.
- Enter and seal the chamber. Don the breathing apparatus. Start video recording.
- Reduce the chamber pressure to 300 mBar.
- Attempt to kindle a fire in the pit, with running commentary.
- Repeat #6 until you get a fire, or you run out of matches or kindling.
- Extinguish the fire, if any.
- Remove experimental apparatus and ashes from the hypobaric chamber.
- Post the video on YouTube.
Man, I miss Mythbusters! How is it they never tested this?