Fire might be considered an extension of shelter, as a campfire can dissuade certain predators from approaching your base. However, it also touches on two other pillars – water and food.

Similar to shelter, fire is a pillar of survival all too easy to overlook. We’ve become spoiled with electricity and gas for cooking and heating. But if SHTF – even in an urban environment – you might find yourself without these modern tools.

Matches and lighters provide a quick, easy means of starting a fire, provided you have material to burn. It’s a good idea to have some homemade tinder in your survival kit, such as cotton balls or egg cartons soaked in old cooking oil, in case your environment doesn’t offer any natural alternatives.

But it would be another mistake to rely solely on matches and lighters. More sustainable methods for starting a fire include the use of ferro rods, which can typically be used to create more than 30,000 sparks. And of FIRecourse, there’s the age-old use of flint, which can be struck with the blade of your knife.

However, it’s especially important you learn bushcraft skills. This way, you can use the tools at your disposal to their maximum ability and improvise should you find yourself without.