# Lighting a campfire: matches or cigarettes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 29, 2014, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-a-campfire-matches-or-cigarettes/689550 "2014-05-29T09:17:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-a-campfire-matches-or-cigarettes/689550/41 "2014-05-31T06:52:12Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > ☹ > > Now I am sure you are not directing that at me but as written, I have to take that on faith because a straight reading does indicate that you are directing it at me. > > Way out of bounds IMO. > > What makes you think I smoke at all? 😕 > What makes you think that I do not know how to field strip a cigarette? :rolleyes: > > The OP was about cigarettes starting fires and with all the consensus that it is very hard, I asked a simple question. > I made no claims, did not say that anyone was wrong, I just asked why. :dubious: > > Will you please explain your attitude towards me & explain in such a way that there can be no doubt of who you are referring to. 🆒 > > Thanks I agree with **Shagnasty**. I’m a big fan of **WhyNot’s** style of posting, mostly because she is always accurate and never attacks anyone. She wasn’t attacking you, she was attacking all of those assholes who just toss their smoldering butts out their car windows. I’m in total agreement with her, and I certainly don’t think that you are the sort of person who would do that sort of thing. To the OP. If you are smoking a loosely rolled, hand made cig and an ember falls off on your shirt and you don’t notice until you feel something hot, you will end up with holes in your clothes. I’m pretty sure that happens to everyone who smokes those sort of cigs at one time or another. Woven fabric is much easier to burn than wood, your shirt didn’t go up in flames, so why would you expect a piece of wood to catch fire with that sort of ignition? ---
**Author:** ![Stoned\_stoner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stoned\_stoner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoned_stoner)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-a-campfire-matches-or-cigarettes/689550/42 "2014-05-31T08:48:28Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > I agree with **Shagnasty**. I’m a big fan of **WhyNot’s** style of posting, mostly because she is always accurate and never attacks anyone. > > She wasn’t attacking you, she was attacking all of those assholes who just toss their smoldering butts out their car windows. I’m in total agreement with her, and I certainly don’t think that you are the sort of person who would do that sort of thing. > > To the OP. If you are smoking a loosely rolled, hand made cig and an ember falls off on your shirt and you don’t notice until you feel something hot, you will end up with holes in your clothes. I’m pretty sure that happens to everyone who smokes those sort of cigs at one time or another. > > Woven fabric is much easier to burn than wood, your shirt didn’t go up in flames, so why would you expect a piece of wood to catch fire with that sort of ignition? I don’t smoke “loosely rolled, hand made” cigarettes. I only smoke Lucky Strikes. I’ve never had an ember fall on my shirt. I’ve heard news reporters talk about forest fires, possibly being caused by lit cigarettes. So naturally, one would think a lit cigarette can start a campfire. But **Shagnasty** has pointed out to me that the lit tip of a cigarette just isn’t hot enough to do this. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-a-campfire-matches-or-cigarettes/689550/43 "2014-05-31T11:19:05Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > ☹ > > Now I am sure you are not directing that at me but as written, I have to take that on faith because a straight reading does indicate that you are directing it at me. > > Way out of bounds IMO. > > What makes you think I smoke at all? 😕 > What makes you think that I do not know how to field strip a cigarette? :rolleyes: > > The OP was about cigarettes starting fires and with all the consensus that it is very hard, I asked a simple question. > I made no claims, did not say that anyone was wrong, I just asked why. :dubious: > > Will you please explain your attitude towards me & explain in such a way that there can be no doubt of who you are referring to. 🆒 > > Thanks Not at all directed at you personally or as a poster. It was a rhetorical aside, an old method of writing for emphasis and humor. I apologize that my useof that writing style caused confusion and hurt feelings. I will attempt to write more clearly in the future when I answer your questions. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2014, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-a-campfire-matches-or-cigarettes/689550/44 "2014-05-31T17:34:43Z")
Thank you. IMO, it would have been obvious if the ( xxxxxx ) had been a separate line but that is my problem. ---
**Author:** ![Oddball\_92](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/b3f665/32.png) [@Oddball\_92](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oddball_92)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2014, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-a-campfire-matches-or-cigarettes/689550/45 "2014-06-01T03:06:48Z")
You can use a match to ingite paper which in turn can ignite kindling which in turn can ignite larger pieces of kindling which in turn can ignite the firewood…or… you can get some Matchlight charcoal, put you firewood on top if it and light it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lighting-a-campfire-matches-or-cigarettes/689550.md?page=2)