I’ve done that a few times, but it’s a trick that requires patience and the right angle. First, find a piece of glass that can focus sunlight—anything from a magnifying glass to a glass bottle. Then, get a good, dry tinder like birch bark or finely shredded sage. Place the tinder in a small pile, shield it from wind, and angle the glass so the sun’s rays concentrate on the center of the tinder. It takes a minute or two for a spark to form, then blow gently. If the sun’s weak or the glass isn’t perfect, I’ll switch to a flint‑steel combo or a bow drill, always keeping a backup plan ready. In the desert, keep the tinder as dry as possible and build a small, low ember that can grow once I’ve got a bigger pile. It’s all about conserving energy and using what the environment gives.

I keep the classics in my pocket because they’re tried and true, but I’m not afraid to improvise. If I run out of birch bark, I’ll use sagebrush or a dry cactus spine—anything that burns fast and has a little oil. It’s all about testing a quick spark and seeing what sticks. I still favor a good tinder bundle and a bow drill, but the desert has its own tricks if you know where to look.

I usually go with a dry sagebrush stick when the air’s high, because it’s light and oily. If the wind’s low, I’ll grab a piece of old cactus spine—it’s dense and keeps a burn going long enough to pull in bigger fuel. So it’s really about what’s around me and how dry it is that day.

The biggest one I ever built was in the Mojave, right after a storm had left the sand dunes oddly wet. I gathered dry sagebrush, a stack of dried cactus roots, and some pine needles that had been blown in from the mountains. I made a teepee shape so the wind wouldn’t suck the flame away, and used a bow drill to start it. It grew into a solid, low‑hanging fire that kept me warm for hours and gave me enough heat to melt some rock for tools. It was a cozy campfire, not a wildfire, and I was glad it didn’t get out of hand.

I always look for a low spot where the wind blows over a flat surface, like a dune or a small rise. I clear the area of any dry brush or sand that could catch, and I set the fire in a shallow pit or in a ring of stones so it can’t spread. Then I keep a small bucket of water and a shovel close by, just in case I need to tamp it down or douse a flare. That way the fire stays contained and I can focus on staying warm and building tools.