Paper shotgun shells filled with parafin or candle wax.

[billw-willy]

These make a fire quickly even with wet wood. For even a larger fire starter, roll up some cardboard to fit in a 6.5 oz. tuna can and fill with melted candle wax. It will keep you warm or dry out wet wood. A second tuna can taped to the first one (empty) is good for storing a butane lighter, matches, magnesium fire starter, and anything else you might want (use a zip lock bag to keep these items dry).

[Shorty]

Bill,
Good one, home-made Sterno in a compact package.
Similar to an old GI trick;  Open a can of C-ration crackers, throw away crackers, fill can with sand/dirt/cat litter, add jet/diesel fuel, heat something better than crackers (coffee).

[IntrepidWizard]

Always carry a Magnesiumbar with striker and steel wool.

[NONYA]

I just carry a lighter :-D

[espuma]

I use cotton balls.  It usually only takes half of one or less and they take a spark very well.
- if you coat them with vaseline they will tolerate more water exposure
- vaseline also lets them burn like a candle, making a flame for up to two minutes versus thirty seconds for a dry cotton ball
- neosporin instead of vaseline make them more useful
 
For a spark I like a ferro rod, or you can use a lighter, the striker from a lighter, etc.
 
As long as you start with small enough wood, it doesn't matter how wet it is.  How wet the weather is, not the wood  
I built a fire last weekend just to prove to myself I still could.  This was during the rain with wood picked up off the ground.  Just start with twigs that are really, really small.  You can split wood, also, either with a knife or just with your hands.   If you can't break it with your hands, it's either too big or too wet.  Dry split wood will light faster but unless you're fighting hypothermia and every minute counts, I wouldn't go to the trouble.  In my little experiment it took an hour to tie up some shelter, build the fire, and then boil some water in a can from the ditch.
 
The cotton balls work so well I only use matches and lighters for lighting candles in the house.  I use real charcoal, not briquettes, when I grill, and it also lights very well with a handful of twigs and half a cotton ball.

[powderman]

I keep an old bucket in the woods to sit on. I really enjoy making a small fire, in the winter especially. I love it when the snow is on the ground. I kick a hole in the snow and gather my tinder. Sassafrass trees ALWAYS have small dead twigs, they have an oil in them and burn hot even when wet. I never get wood or twigs off the ground in wet weather. I always use my homemade waterproof matches, I posted on that in an earlier thread I believe. I also carry vaseline soaked cotten shoved in a straw with both ends sealed with heat, dslit them open and light, They too burn hot. I've found that a fire can be made in most any kind of weather with proper selection of tinder and careful preparation. POWDERMAN.        

[Jack Ryan]

I like this one.

Fire starter in a shot gun shell container, that'll work.

[kd5hrm]

I fill up paper egg cartons with dryer lint and then pour hot parrafin in each cell in the carton.  You can just tear off a couple and throw them in your coat pocket.  They burn great.


Brad

[kyote]

hmmmm..I just cut the shell open and pour the powder on somethin thatel burn and light it.then I get the pot ready for the lobster boil.good idea..you could make many I reckon.I might want to add some saw dust to the mix.