Getting your fire up to temperature quickly reduces unnecessary pollution. It’s also rather satisfying. The bark in the video burns like it’s been dipped in a liquid fuel.
Why does it burn so well? – it’s full of natural tars which are very flammable. It’s also very thin so it’s a bit like burning cardboard soaked in paraffin.

This completely natural firelighter will surprise you. It’s quick and effective and it’s FREE! This batch arrived as an unexpected bonus attached to some delivered logs. You can sometimes find Birch bark peeling from trees or lying on the ground next to the tree. You’ll often find lots of very thin dead twigs under a Birch tree too, especially after a strong wind. They make a great firelighter to go with your bark.