 

Fire-starting - Equipment list and 
hazard management guide 

Equipment and materials 

Quantities per group 

Part A – Hand drill 

Base board: DAR pine – 140 mm x 19 mm x 200 mm. With two 
adjacent 6 mm holes positioned 20 mm from the top edge and 20 
mm from the side edge at one end. 

• Available from Bunnings (LINK) as of March 2026. They are also able to 
cut into 200 mm sections for you. 


1 

Drill stick: Eucalyptus grandis - flooded gum (dowel) 800 mm in 
length and 12 mm in diameter. Taper end manually with sandpaper. 

• Available from Bunnings (LINK) as of March 2026. Bunnings can cut into 
800 mm sections. 


1 

Hearth board: Tasmanian Oak – 30 mm x 12 x 1200 mm. With 13 
mm deep starter holes/notches across the wooden board. Board 
needs to have drill holes that align with the base plate (two adjacent 
6 mm holes positioned 10 mm from the top edge and 10 mm from 
the side edge at one end). 

• Available from Bunnings (LINK) as of March 2026. Bunnings can cut into 
1200 mm sections. 


1 

G-clamp 

1 

Timers/stopwatch 

1 

Safety glasses 

1 per person 

Bolt and wing nut (bolt length 80 mm) 

2 

Sandpaper 

1 

Optional: Temperature measurement device 

1 

Optional: Electric hand drill 

1 

Part B – Fire saw 

Base plate: Dress pine - 140 mm x 19 mm x 200 mm. With two 
adjacent 6 mm holes positioned 20 mm from the top edge and 20 
mm from the side edge at one end. 

• Available from Bunnings (LINK) as of March 2026. They are also able to 
cut into 200 mm sections for you. 


1 




Hearth stick: Tasmanian Oak – 30 mm x 12 x 1200 mm. With 13 mm 
deep starter holes/notches across the wooden board. Board needs 
to have drill holes that align with the base plate (two adjacent 6 mm 
holes positioned 10 mm from the top edge and 10 mm from the side 
edge at one end). 

• Available from Bunnings (LINK) as of March 2026. Bunnings can cut into 
1200 mm sections. 


1 

Saw stick: Tasmanian Oak – 400 mm in length and 6x6 mm in 
diameter. 

• Available from Bunnings (LINK) as of March 2026. They are also able to 
cut into 400 mm sections for you. 


1 

G-clamp 

1 

Timers/stopwatch 

1 

Gloves (gardening) 

2 pairs 

Safety glasses 

1 per person 

Bolt and wing nut (bolt length 80 mm) 

2 

Optional: Temperature measurement device 

1 

Optional: additional materials 

Hand drill - Tinder options: 

• Dry grass 
• Coconut fibre 
• Dry leaves from eucalyptus spp. (sometimes pounded into a 
powder) 
• Dry head of the flower stalk of a grass tree (xanthorrhoea 
spp.) 
• Dried kangaroo dung. 


Small quantity for each group to 
place in hearth notch 

Hand drill – Additional drill options: 

• Hoop pine dowel: 12.5 mm diameter, 100 mm length 
(tapered end) 
• Silky oak: 12 mm diameter, 100 mm length (tapered end) 
• Spotted gum: 12.5 mm diameter, 100 mm length (tapered 
end) 
• Red cedar: 12.5 mm diameter, 100 mm length (tapered end) 
– note: red cedar is not commercially farmed in Australia. Do 
not substitute with American red cedar. 


One per group 

Hand drill – Additional hearth options (all hearths are to have 13 mm 
starter holes for drill stick to sit in): 

• Hoop pine: 40 mm x 18 mm x 1200 mm 
• Silky oak: 40 mm x 18 mm x 1200 mm 
• Spotted gum: 40 mm x 18 mm x 1200 mm 
• Red cedar: 40 mm x 18 mm x 1200 mm 
• Tasmanian oak: 40 mm x 18 mm x 1200 mm 


One per group 




Hazard management 

Hazards 

Control measures 

Fire: 

• burns 
• flammable materials can catch on fire 
• uncontrolled fire. 


• Wear appropriate PPE: lab coat, gardening gloves, 
safety glasses. 
• Check and adhere to fire ratings in the area. 
• Clear the area. 
• Have fire bucket, extinguisher and fire blanket 
ready. 


Sawdust could fly into eyes 

• Wear safety glasses. 


Wooden hearth boards, sticks, and saws: 

• splinters and/or blisters, cuts or 
scrapes. 


• Wear gloves (gardening). 


Smoke inhalation: 

• students get too close while generating 
the ember. 


• Warn students to stand back when actively 
attempting to start fire. 
• Students with respiratory conditions e.g. asthma 
need to be careful or wear masks. 
• Accumulation of smoke: turn on fans and open 
windows and doors after the experiment to 
increase ventilation. 
• Attempt experiment outside if possible or conduct 
experiment away from smoke alarms. 


Muscle strain: 

• in wrists or arms from prolonged or 
incorrect fire-starting technique. 


• Teach students how to use proper technique. 
• Get students to swap over frequently so they 
aren’t in this position for prolonged periods. 


Electric drill: 

• electric shock 
• entanglement of hair or other items 
• cuts or wounds for rotating drill bit 
• flying debris 
• trip hazard (if drill has power cord). 


• Teach students proper electric drill handling 
technique and hazard awareness. 
• Follow proper PPE – safety glass, tie hair back, lab 
coat, gardening gloves. 
• Ensure electrical safety and awareness from 
students. 
• Use a cordless drill if possible. 


 

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Monitoring and review 
(to be completed during and/or after the activity) 

Yes 

No 

Have additional hazards been identified? 

☐ 

☐ 

Were the control measures effective? 

☐ 

☐ 

Are further or different actions required? 

☐ 

☐ 

Details: 



 


