Fire Starter is a recurring Survivor challenge. It debuted in Survivor: Vanuatu before reappearing internationally in Australian Survivor: Heroes v Villains.
Rules[]
Working as a tribe, castaways must make their way through an obstacle course. At the finish line, members of the tribe will race to build a fire; the first tribe to do so wins the challenge.
The Australian Survivor version of this challenge sees the competing tribes move a heavy cart to several stations, at each point collecting firewood and kindling to build a fire. At the end of the course, the tribes will race to build a bonfire tall enough to burn through a rope.
History[]
United States[]
In Vanuatu, the tribes had to crawl through the mud pit, and navigate the ball through the table maze. Then they had to take the ball with them before crossing the balance beam and make a fire in their cauldron to burn the rope holding their torch. Then they light their torch from the cauldron and race to finish line to light their victory cauldron to win flint and immunity. The men of the Lopevi tribe had the early lead through the first two obstacles until Chris Daugherty had serious problems crossing the balance beam, allowing the women from Yasur to pass the men and win the challenge.
In Cook Islands, four players untied and assembled a wooden puzzle stretcher before running out to the beach. One tribe member then swam out to a mast to free a hostage; both members would then swim back holding a life ring. The hostage gets on the stretcher and is carried back. Thereafter, the three remaining tribe members will build a fire tall enough to burn through a rope to lower their tribe flag. Aitutaki held a consistent lead throughout the challenge and, with Cao Boi Bui's unorthodox but surprisingly effective fire-making strategy, easily won the challenge.
Australia[]
The challenge appeared as the fifth tribal Immunity Challenge in Heroes v Villains. Instead of an obstacle course, the tribes had to push a heavy cart between checkpoints to collect fire-starting materials. Despite the physically demanding first half of the challenge, the weaker Villains pushed ahead of the Heroes in uncharacteristic fashion, holding the lead for the entire challenge, which helped Stevie Khouw get the bonfire started quickly. They won the challenge and sent the Heroes to Tribal Council.
The challenge appeared as the opening Reward Challenge in Titans v Rebels. The castaways had to swim out to collect firewood and kindling from a pontoon in the ocean before returning to shore to build a fire. The first tribe to set their effigy and tribe flag alight would win flint. The Titans' Nathan Freeman made the ill-advised decision of lighting their tribe's fire prematurely, before the structure had sufficient height for the fire to catch onto the effigy. With their rival's blunder, the Rebels cruised to an early victory.
Winners[]
| Episode | Challenge Type | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Vanuatu "They Came at Us with Spears!" |
Tribal Immunity |          Yasur |
| Cook Islands "Ruling the Roost" |
Tribal Immunity |         Aitutaki |
| Episode | Challenge Type | Winners | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Stars Episode 1 |
Tribal Reward |             Mokuta | |
| Heroes v Villains Episode 5 |
Tribal Immunity |         Villains (Australia) | |
| Titans v Rebels "We've All Seen This Movie" |
Tribal Reward |             Rebels | |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Shonee Bowtell is the only person to compete in this challenge multiple times.
References[]