For Firebugs

To light a balky fire, try using a wax candle. It’ll last longer than a match and has a better chance of heating the fuel to kindling temperature. Also, Number 00 steel wool will catch and hold a spark, making a high-heat tinder. Even when soaking wet, steel wool can be dried by throwing it hard onto a flat surface several times, then blowing on it for a few minutes. Fluff up the ball for “sparking” and stick in a few splinters of wood for igniting. David E. Lofgren, Salt Lake City, Utah